The Illusion of Strength
by DasewigGewitter
Summary: Set before Crisis Core- before Genesis & Angeal leave Shinra. Somewhat AU, since I'm fairly certain that early SOLDIER didn't have female members. At least not any of high rank. Curious to explore what it would be like to work so hard to prove yourself- especially around such elite members like Sephiroth and the others. Not to mention their reactions to her. Shall we find out?
1. Chapter 1: Offers and Opportunities

_"Yeah, that's got her, Darien!"_

 _"Where're ya goin', little mouse? Running away again? Well, you won't get far."_

A chorus of taunting voices echoed inside my head, reminding me of bygone days when I'd been scraping to survive on the streets of Midgar. Of days I'd rather have forgotten. The world can be a cold place, and children some of its cruelest weapons. So adept at ferreting out weakness and exploiting it without mercy.

A jarring blow to my right shoulder brought my wandering thoughts back to the present just in time to dodge the second hit. I scrambled to raise my sword. The impact of my opponent's blade nearly knocked mine out of my hands. But I held fast to the hilt, frowning in concentration. Metal sang against metal as the brilliantly sharp edges slid across one another. We broke apart, circling each other warily.

"What the hell, Lilith? You spaced out right in the middle of the exercise!"

"I know, I know."

"Well?"

"It's nothing. I'll do better next time."

Kunsel rolled his eyes at me and shouldered his weapon with a sigh.

"Next time you do something like that, you'll get yourself _killed_. If you ever hope to make 1st Class, you need to focus more, Lilith."

"I will."

 _I will,_ I repeated to myself fiercely. _I_ will _obtain the skills and strength needed to distinguish myself in SOLDIER._

Becoming a 1st Class had been my only goal since one of them had come to my rescue against Darien's gang of thugs. I never knew his name, but I'd seen him as so brave and strong. I wanted to be like him- to be able to fight back against anyone who wanted to hurt me. Didn't want to be seen as weak.

So I'd joined SOLDIER at the earliest opportunity.

Started as everyone does- as a 3rd Class. An accomplishment in and of itself, since very few women were ever accepted into SOLDIER. Not that it wasn't unheard of. Just uncommon. Most of them never lasted long, or advanced beyond 3rd Class, though. So when I earned the distinction of 2nd Class a few years ago, I considered it quite the achievement.

The promotion had put me in the company of some of Shinra's finest SOLDIERs. Back then, Zack had still been a part of that Class, though he tended to be seen among the ranks with the elite- like Genesis and Angeal. And Sephiroth. I'd gotten to know Zack well enough; the other three were still far too illustrious to bother with the likes of me.

Kunsel had advanced only a short time before I had. So between him and Zack, I had a few friends. Well, as much as I allowed anyone to be my friend, I supposed. I hadn't come here looking to make friends; I was here to prove to everyone who'd ever laughed at me that I was worth something. Often a goal incompatible with making friends, since I spent most of my time training instead of hanging out.

 _And that's why most of them never make it to 1_ _st_ _Class,_ I reminded myself every time I caught feelings of loneliness creeping over me. _You won't need them when you become one of the most skilled SOLDIER in the company._

"All right, then," Kunsel replied, breaking into my thoughts. "I think that's enough practice for me today- you want to come out to the tavern with me and Luxiere?"

I shook my head, saying, "Thanks but no. I'm going to work on my technique a bit more. Maybe set up one of the simulation rooms."

"Look, you can't train all the time, Lilith. An afternoon off here and there isn't going to delay your chances of moving up to 1st Class, so why not have some fun for once?"

"Another time, Kunsel."

He gave up the argument, but his disapproving opinion of my decision was quite obvious. Not just in his expression, but in his tone as he bid me farewell.

"Have it your way, then. I'll see you tomorrow."

My light-hearted answer deliberately ignored his attempt at censure.

"Yep, see you tomorrow!"

As Kunsel left the room, I swore I heard him muttering to himself. He was smart, though, since none of it was loud enough that I could make out any of the words. Let him think what he liked. I didn't care. And once he'd gone, I checked for an empty simulation room; they were _all_ empty.

 _Well, I guess it's my lucky day, then._

* * *

Kunsel spotted his friends near the back of the tavern. He picked up his pace, passing by a number of 3rd Class SOLDIER with barely a nod to the ones who offered a greeting. Usually, he'd show some effort to respond, but he was just not in the mood today. Kunsel collapsed into the booth, taking an empty spot opposite Zack.

"Hey, man, what kept you? We're already a round ahead of you." His dark-haired friend glanced at him quizzically, as if noticing something amiss with his appearance. "And where's Lilith?"

"Still back at Shinra, torturing herself with some simulated battle against who knows what. I wouldn't put it past her to try facing a Bahamat alone."

"Didn't you invite her along?"

"Of _course_ I invited her. But you know Lilith- it's _always_ work with her."

Both Zack and Luxiere nodded in reluctant agreement while a barmaid drifted over to the table to ask for his order. She bustled away again to retrieve what he requested, leaving them to return to the subject at hand.

"She's going to burn herself out if she keeps it up."

"You don't have to tell me that. When we were in practice this afternoon, she lost focus long enough that I could have ended her SOLDIER days if I'd been of a mind to do it."

"Then it's a good thing that you were her opponent," Luxiere mused grimly. "I can think of a few _others_ who might have done it without a second thought."

 _You mean Sephiroth or Genesis, but won't dare say it aloud._ None of them would, but Kunsel would bet all of them were thinking it. And not without good reason. Sephiroth and Genesis were the greatest SOLDIERs who ever lived. But all that talent came with an arrogant attitude that demanded absolute perfection from anyone wanting to join the ranks.

So if you faced either of them and showed any moment of weakness…whatever injury you suffered was deserved in their opinion. Even death. Kunsel had often theorized that Shinra created the simulation rooms so that those two could hone their skills without risking the loss of other SOLDIERs. No one could prove it, though.

"Don't start," Zack insisted. "We only just got here. It's far too early yet to get into any of that."

"You only say that because Angeal's grooming you to join the 1st Class."

"Jealous much?"

Kunsel was- just a bit. Everyone wanted to be chosen to advance into that elite group, but few ever saw that dream made real. He wished that Zack's great mentor would look his way, too, when it came to promotion.

"So what if I am- it's still true."

"Look, just let it go so we can have a good time tonight, okay? Isn't that what we're here for?"

"Yeah." His drink order arrived as if on cue, so Kunsel raised it aloft with a wry grin, "To good times, my friends."

Luxiere hoisted his in an answering salute, "And here's to the hope that perhaps next time, we'll convince Lilith to join us."

They all took a swig from their tankards, easily consuming half their contents. Kunsel wasn't worried. The barmaid was keeping an eye on them, so she'd be around with more before they ran out. He was less convinced about his friend's optimistic point about Lilith.

"Won't ever happen," he voiced aloud, setting his drink on the rough-hewn surface of the table. "Not in a million years."

"She'd come if Zack asked her," Luxiere protested. "You watch- he could convince her to leave off training and have some fun."

"Of the three of us, _I've_ known her the longest. So I don't see how either of _you_ would do any better."

"Yeah, but you've got that deadpan sense of humor that puts people off sometimes. Lilith might not have felt the offer was genuine."

"Deadpan?" He repeated incredulously. " _Off-putting!?_ Oh for the love of…"

"I guess I could give it a shot," Zack interrupted him, abruptly changing the focus of the conversation to avoid an argument.

 _Always the peacemaker, aren't you, Zack?_

Zack never liked an argument and was always looking for a way to put everything right again as quickly as possible. Most times, it worked. Kunsel had to give credit to his friend for his efforts to engender a strong camaraderie amongst the SOLDIERs. But sometimes, he just wished he'd let things run their course out in the open. Burying them beneath a jovial veneer would backfire one day.

"Well, then I wish you luck. You're going to need it."

Just as his friend was about to answer, the activity around their booth seemed to dwindle to a hushed whisper. No need to guess- he was pretty certain he knew what had spooked everyone. And yet Kunsel looked up, anyway. He was not surprised one bit to see a particular trio of 1st Class SOLDIERs gliding through the bar with an almost predatory stalk.

 _Well, there goes the evening now that_ those _three are here._ He didn't mind Angeal so much, but the other two…he never quite trusted either of them. _Wonder what brought them here, anyway._ The trio's leader, Sephiroth, zeroed in on their booth at just that moment. He indicated to the other two to follow his lead with an almost imperceptible nod. _Oh that's just great. Apparently they're here for us._

"Don't look now, but trouble just walked in and is headed our way," he murmured to Zack in a low voice.

"What do you mean by…oh."

"So much for having fun."

Luxiere's remark slipped in, far too late for anyone to reply before the trio arrived. And at first, no one spoke a word. Just waited. Finally, Angeal stepped forward to address Zack.

"Good evening, my friend. I thought I might find you and your comrades here this evening."

"We're off duty, Angeal. Came in for a few drinks before calling it a day. So what brings you to this part of the city?"

"Word from above is we've got trouble in Junon. Trouble enough to send a team to deal with it." He glanced back to Genesis and Sephiroth, then continued. "You'll be among the 2nd Class SOLDIERs accompanying us. I'm leaving it up to your discretion to recommend the other three we require."

"I'm honored."

"Just see that you're well-rested this evening, and have your selections ready for tomorrow morning's briefing at headquarters. The plan is to leave early. The mission shouldn't take more than a few days."

"We'll be ready," Zack assured him.

"Will you?" That from Sephiroth, his dismissive tone no doubt intended to grate on Kunsel's nerves. "I hope you are- for _your_ sake, in any case."

"Sephiroth, we all agreed on this decision. The least you can do is be supportive."

The silver-haired man flashed an unapologetic smile.

"Very well, Angeal." He narrowed his gaze to Zack and asked with barely concealed boredom. "Out of curiosity, puppy, who would you choose among your fellow SOLDIER for the mission?"

Kunsel didn't envy his friend having been put on the spot like that. The decision was an important one, and although he might want to give such an opportunity to his friends, the needs of the mission would come first. _Must_ come first. If Zack thought that meant other SOLDIERs were better suited, he had a duty to choose them instead. But that didn't mean it was easy to say so in front of his friends.

"Kunsel and Luxiere would be the top two on my list."

"Because they're qualified for the mission…or because they're your friends," Genesis asked.

"I wouldn't put up their names if I didn't think they were qualified."

No one contradicted him, but Sephiroth did ask him a follow up question.

"What of the third? I believe we're short one name."

Now Zack hesitated. At least a dozen SOLDIERs could easily fill the remaining place. Kunsel was shocked at the one his friend offered in the end.

"Lilith."

Surprise registered on the faces of the trio of 1st Classes as well- even their high and mighty leader, who was _never_ caught off guard. By anything. But the idea of a female SOLDIER assigned to such a high profile mission was unusual enough to shake his complacent air. Even if this turned out to be a disaster, Kunsel thought it might be worth it for that half-second where Sephiroth's mask had slipped.

"Are you sure," Angeal queried once he'd recovered. "This mission is not for a novice."

"She's no novice. I've seen her in several battles and she has the skills for this."

"If you vouch for her, then Lilith will join us tomorrow. But you're responsible if her lack of experience causes her an injury or if the mission suffers a major setback on her account. Is that understood?"

"It is."

Angeal heaved a sigh.

"All right, then. Tomorrow morning- you and your team better be ready in time for the debrief. Eight am."

With that, he and the other two turned from the table, melting into the crowd as they left the tavern. Kunsel merely watched them, waiting until he was sure they'd gone before risking a comment on the whole situation. He glanced over the rim of his tankard at Zack, shrugged, and finished it in a swallow.

"Well, I dunno what your plan is regarding this mission, but I sure hope you know what you're doing, my friend."

"It'll be fine, you'll see."

"If you say so."

"Sooo," Luxiere began slowly. "Who's going to tell Lilith?"

* * *

The graphics of the simulation winked out, leaving behind the gridded lines of the training room. I stood alone in the center, half-bent over while I tried to catch my breath. Sweat beaded on my skin and dripped from the dampened strands of loose hair falling across my face. The program I'd chosen had been a tough one. But I'd beaten the Adamantaimai, and _that's_ what mattered.

I straightened slowly, hooking my thumbs in the waistband of the baggy fatigues that came standard for 2nd Class SOLDIER uniforms. Purple wasn't exactly my favorite, but at least the shade wasn't lavender- or something equally hideous. Pastels definitely weren't my thing. I could live with a deep wine color, though.

Clothes weren't really on my mind- rarely were, as a matter of fact. All I wanted was a long shower, a quick meal, and to get some sleep. Tomorrow promised to be another day of hard work to put me one step closer to making 1st Class. I sheathed my sword with a sigh and headed for the locker room. On the way, my phone chirped to alert me I had a message.

 _Better not be a drunk dial from the guys,_ I groaned inwardly as I held it up to my ear. The recorded voice belonged to Zack. He didn't sound drunk, but he didn't offer much explanation. Just said to call him back when I got the message. _What an odd time for him to start acting mysterious._

But since whatever it was sounded important, I scrolled through my contacts and pulled up his number. It rang several times. Zack picked up, his greeting nearly drowned in the cacophony of boisterous voices in the background.

"Hey, Lilith!"

"Hey back." He laughed- as usual- at my atypical greeting. "So what's up? I got your voicemail- sounded urgent."

"You could say that, yeah."

When he didn't continue, I prodded him to get on with it.

"And?"

"Huh?"

"C'mon, man, can you focus for two minutes? I'd like to get some sleep tonight."

"Hang on- let me find a quieter spot. It's a bit loud in here." A minute or so later I heard his voice again, "Better?"

"Yes, thanks. So what's with the phone call?"

"Junon. Tomorrow morning."

My brain stumbled a minute, trying to grasp what he was saying. "I'm going to need more than that."

"Shinra's sending a team to take care of a problem in Junon. We're leaving tomorrow morning after a debrief meeting."

"Wait- we?"

"That's what I said. Angeal wanted four 2nd Class SOLDIER for the mission. I put your name in with Kunsel and Luxiere."

"You're serious."

"Absolutely. Early meeting tomorrow morning, so I wanted to give you the head's up tonight."

"Is it just the four of us going, then?"

"Um…no." Zack hesitated before divulging the rest of the news. "We're assisting the 1st Classes."

My throat closed up, making it impossible to speak. Shinra employed at least a half-dozen SOLDIERs of their highest rank; I had a sinking feeling I knew which ones would be assigned to this mission. My silence must have made Zack nervous.

"Lilith? You still there?"

"Y-yeah." I blew out a breath and asked him, "When you say '1st Class'?"

"Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal."

"I see."

"If you're worried, I can pick someone else…"

" _No_ ," I interrupted him. "No, I'm good. Just trying to imagine what might be so important that all three of them need to go."

"No idea. We'll find out tomorrow, I guess."

"I guess we will. And if I'm going to feel at all prepared for that meeting, I should get moving. And you all should call it an early night, too."

"Not to worry."

"Hmmm…I've heard _that_ before."

"Promise. We were just about to close out our tab and head back home."

"All right. See you in the morning, Zack. And thanks," I added. "For putting my name in for this mission."

"Any time, Lilith. Later!"

The call ended, leaving me feeling both anxious and bemused. A high-visibility mission with the top three members of SOLDIER. It was the opportunity of a lifetime if I did well; a potentially embarrassing end to my career if I failed. The prospect of the latter was almost enough to have me turning on my heel to train a little longer. But I resisted that impulse, telling myself that a decent night's rest would serve me better.

 _Let's just hope that I'll be able to fall asleep._


	2. Chapter 2: Debrief Disaster

As the four 2nd Class SOLDIERs filed into the briefing room, Sephiroth's gaze swept critically over each individual. He understood the benefit of including Zack for the mission to Junon, but was utterly baffled why Angeal insisted they must endure these others, too. From what he understood of the situation at the coastal city, the three of them could handle it alone.

 _I don't even know why_ I _have to go at all_ , he brooded resentfully while he and Genesis leaned casually against the back wall. _Let Angeal clean up that mess with these callow youths who hardly_ qualify _to be SOLDIERs._

His eyes fell upon the last in the group- Lilith- and narrowed slightly. Sephiroth had been shocked that a female had survived the initial process of becoming a SOLDIER for Shinra. That she'd advanced as far as 2nd Class strained credulity. So much so that he suspected that Lilith was a publicity stunt rather than a true SOLDIER. And he wasn't the only one, it seemed.

"Ten to one she runs away at the first sign of battle," Genesis whispered to Sephiroth under his breath. "I get that Shinra wants to trot her out once and a while, but an actual mission? Ridiculous."

"It'll be on Angeal's head if Shinra's reputation is marred by such a disgraceful outcome. I'm afraid our good friend was not willing to see reason when I advised him against this last night."

"It's as much that puppy's fault for even suggesting her."

"That's more of Angeal's doing," Sephiroth answered in a low voice. "He encourages the others to associate with those of lesser merit in the name of honor. Even the other two aren't much better suited for this mission."

While he called the man his friend, Sephiroth had very different ideas regarding SOLDIER and what it meant to be a part of Shinra's most elite. The ranks lost all meaning unless only those deserving the distinction were admitted. Maybe a few that showed some skill might be worthwhile to hand over to the Turks. But keep the rest of them where they belonged- in the fan clubs.

Especially the females who all fantasized about catching the eye of a SOLDIER. None of them ever came here wanting to be one of them. Maybe if more of them focused on training rather than giggling coquetry, Sephiroth might see them worthy of SOLDIER. But it was always the same school-yard nonsense and boy-crazy obsessions.

 _Which is what I expect Lilith is after,_ he mused to himself. _No different from the others, except she assumed if she joined our ranks she'd have a better chance._ A naïve hope, of course. At most, the men would see Lilith as a cheap conquest. Convenient and soon forgotten.

"Looks like our friend is wrapping up," Genesis replied after a long silence between them. "He's signaling for our attention."

"Then we might as well get this over with, shall we?"

Four heads turned in their direction as Angeal made the introductions for the more junior SOLDIERs.

"As I said, the group of you will be assisting Sephiroth, Mr. Rhapsodos and myself during the mission. Before we depart for Junon, I would like to spend a few minutes ensuring the team is acquainted with one another. I believe some of the newer 2nd Classes have not yet been introduced to the senior members of SOLDIER." Angeal's gaze swept over both Sephiroth and Genesis, warning them to be civil. "And vice versa. This is an excellent time to remedy that before we enter a situation where we are depending on one another during the battle."

As if Sephiroth would ever _depend_ on anyone- in battle or otherwise- but he chose not to take issue with Angeal's speech. Genesis took it upon himself to speak first; he feigned interest in others better than Sephiroth, anyway. So it was just as well.

"I've worked with Fair before, but the rest of you are unfamiliar. I'm guessing you all advanced rather recently?"

"Actually…" Kunsel countered slowly. "We were promoted from 3rd Class a few years ago."

"That a fact? Well, time flies when missions keep one busy. Is this your first?"

Sephiroth thought the young puppy might explode from holding in his anger at the baiting tone in that question. But hold it in he did. Admirably, one might say.

"I've spent a few tours in Corel and even in Mideel. Last year, I was sent to Junon for a month or so."

"What about you- Lilith, was it?"

"I've been assigned to duties primarily in Midgar," she answered in a lyrical contralto. Sephiroth was caught off-guard by it, having expected the earthier accent common to most born in Midgar city. He nearly missed the second half of her answer. "But I have completed missions in Kalm and Junon as well."

Genesis cast a dubious look in Zack's direction.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you said last night they weren't novices."

"They aren't," the dark-haired SOLDIER remarked, doing his best to scowl. No easy task for a man who almost always wore an easy-going smile.

"Sure sounds like they are to me. Are you trying to get your friends killed?"

"Genesis…"

"I'm only saying this for their own good, Angeal. What use is distinguishing yourself in battle by dying if there's no need for it? Can't advance to 1st Class if you're dead."

From over his friend's shoulder, Sephiroth saw Lilith's violet eyes flash in anger. Obviously, she took exception to the insult to her skills. So did the other two, but unlike them, Lilith was willing to say so aloud.

"Contrary to your opinion- which is _all_ you have without any _real_ knowledge of my skills- I have no intention of getting myself killed, _Mr. Rhapsodos_."

 _Well, she certainly is feisty, isn't she?_

Zack and his two friends stood aghast at her outburst, as if she'd sprouted a second head before their eyes. Even the recipient of those harsh words blinked in surprise for a few minutes. But before the situation could escalate, Angeal stepped in to diffuse it. He placed himself between Lilith and Genesis, facing the former first.

"Lilith, you will maintain a respectful demeanor towards those of senior rank," he bade her sternly. The woman would have unleashed another spirited verbal attack if he hadn't then turned to their friend. "And Mr. Rhapsodos will likewise strive to keep his opinions to himself unless asked. Right?"

Genesis shrugged indifferently. "If the lady doesn't want my advice, then she can die on this mission all she wants. Just don't expect me to expend any heroics to prevent it."

While Angeal looked merely annoyed, the 'lady' in question was practically seething. She leveled a withering glare at Genesis, silent in her fury; she didn't really need words to communicate exactly what she was thinking. Sephiroth found the whole situation amusing. At least the mission to Junon might be a little less boring if those two were at each other's throats half the time.

 _If you're aiming to lure Genesis into a liaison, Lilith, you're going to have to rethink that temper of yours. Not to mention your ego. He's only room for his own._

Five minutes might have passed before their friend deemed it necessary to move the meeting along.

"I think that's enough introductions for one morning. Our transport is waiting to take us to Junon. Shinra's chartered passage on an airship. It's leaving in an hour, so gather up your gear and meet at the launch site in a half hour. No exceptions or excuses. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the four junior SOLDIERs chorused dutifully and left.

Genesis stared after them for a long minute, shook his head and muttered to himself, "Trouble. She's going to be nothing but trouble, Angeal."

"What did you expect to happen when you deliberately insult her that way? You'd have been just as quick to fire back a similar retort if someone had said as much to you."

"Damn right I would. But it's justified when you've actually proven yourself in battle."

"And you don't know that she hasn't- or wouldn't," Angeal countered irritably. "So until we know either way, I'm asking as a friend- don't stir things up any more than you already have, okay?"

"Fiiine. If you're going to put it to me _that_ way, I suppose I can let the chit play SOLDIER with her little friends. But seriously, you watch- she's going to bring us trouble. Am I right or what, Sephiroth?"

In no hurry to reply, he regarded the both of them with a hooded expression. The lack of response irked Genesis enough he couldn't contain himself.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"You were so adamant against her going in the first place. Have you changed your mind, then?"

"Perhaps I have," Sephiroth answered with a smirk. "If only for the entertainment your bickering might provide in an otherwise boring mission."

"I highly doubt what awaits us in Junon will be boring."

"The reports are likely exaggerated, Angeal. You know as well as I do how often that's the case."

"And it could just as easily be as dire as the people claim."

"I guess we'll see, won't we?"

* * *

"That…insufferable jerk," I fumed once I was out of earshot of the briefing room. "Just because they are Shinra's top SOLDIERs, Genesis and Sephiroth write off everyone else without even bothering to give a fair chance."

When no one commiserated with me as I'd expected, I gestured at Kunsel and Luxiere.

"And I suppose the two of you are okay with that insult if letting him treat you like that gets you closer to making 1st Class?"

They looked somewhat uncomfortable, and so Zack was the one to answer, "I agree- Genesis can be arrogant to the extreme sometimes."

"Sephiroth, too," I added. "He may not have _said_ anything, but don't tell me you didn't _see_ the derisive amusement in his eyes when Genesis was talking. They were both making fun of us."

"You can't let that get to you, Lilith. Do the job you've been asked to do. Listen to Angeal and be respectful."

I checked myself mid-stride, beyond my limit of stupid things I could take in for one day. Zack looked as though he hoped I was just considering his advice, but knew better than to believe it. Hands on hips, I delivered exactly what I thought of his suggestion.

"So I should respect someone who has no interest in respecting me, then? What for- because they outrank me?"

"You knew that SOLDIER employs a rank hierarchy when you joined," Kunsel argued.

"That I did. And I'll be more than happy to obey an order given me in my duties. Go on a mission to Junon to defeat a monster plaguing the city? No problem. Stand guard duty in Wutai for six months? Gladly. But I won't- I repeat _won't -_ obey any command that expects me to bow and scrape to those two. Or anyone else, for that matter."

Luxiere cast a nervous look over his shoulder, and mumbled anxiously, "Can we just drop the subject? Suppose they hear us?"

"I don't care if they hear me."

"Yeah, well, excuse me if I do. We're going to be spending the next day or so together, so what's the point in antagonizing them any more than you already have?"

From the expressions on each of my friends' faces, none of them were going to stand with me on this. While they might agree with my argument, none of them were willing to put themselves out there to fight against the likes of Sephiroth and Genesis. My temples pounded with the tension of built up frustration. A precursor to what might turn into an agonizing headache if I didn't diffuse it right away.

The headaches were something I lived with most of my life. Moments of intense stress or emotion tended to trigger them. And once they started I would spend hours curled up in my bed, room completely dark as I tried to fight off waves of pain mingled with nausea.

Probably seemed an odd choice, then, to have joined SOLDIER; this life was fraught with situations that were designed to induce stress on a person. But it also offered me the chance to master my affliction. Forcing me to push myself time and again so that I could become used to stress and manage the headaches. The early years had been tough, but I'd made significant progress overall.

 _And more importantly, have kept this secret from anyone in SOLDIER,_ my thoughts added. Not even my friends knew about the headaches. I couldn't trust that they wouldn't bring it up- thinking they were helping me- only to give Shinra a reason to force me out of SOLDIER. And so if I wanted it to _remain_ my secret, I had to swallow my indignation about Genesis' comments. _Doesn't mean I have to_ like _it, though._

"Dropped it is, then. I can see I'd be wasting my time to keep at it."

"Lilith…"

I resumed walking, reaching the end of the corridor leading to the elevator bay in less than a dozen stride. The others were right behind me; I ignored them as I punched the call button that would take me to the ground floor. It lit up, but given the number above the doors, I knew I had a while to wait before it would arrive. Might as well put an end to our conversation in the meantime.

"It's fine," I assured them with a light tone, though the edges of the words were a bit sharp. "I get where you're coming from. While we're on this mission, I'll try to keep any issues I have with Genesis and Sephiroth to myself."

"That's not what we meant."

"Look, there's no point in dragging the three of you into the fray with me."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. I was about to step inside, but Zack blocked my path with his outstretched arm. I frowned up at him.

"Hey- what gives?"

"If you have problems with either of those two while we're at Junon, you bring it to me- or Angeal if I'm not around. Okay?"

"Oh come on, Zack. I'm not so pathetic I need you all to fight my battles for me. I can take care of my _own_ problems."

"Any other time I'd agree with you, Lilith. But this is different. Sephiroth and Genesis are dangerous- in more ways than one. Don't take them on alone."

He sounded almost worried, and so I did the best I could for his sake: I lied.

"If this means that much to you…"

"It does."

"Then I suppose I can at least _discuss_ any problems with Shinra's elite before I tackle them on my own. Happy?"

He wasn't. I could see it in the set of his jaw. But he knew that I wouldn't concede any more than that. With a shrug, he stepped aside to allow me to enter the elevator bay.

"That'll have to do."

The four of us crowded into the elevator, each staking claim to a corner. I chose for myself one in the back, which gave me a perfect line of sight down the corridor. At the other end, I saw the 1st Class trio emerge from the briefing room and begin to walk in our direction. Lucky for us, the doors would close long before they got here, sparing us what would surely be a long and uncomfortable ride to the lobby.

Or so I thought.

The doors didn't budge an inch. As Sephiroth and the other two drew closer with each passing second, I began to worry that we'd have to endure that nightmare after all. So in an effort to prevent it, I hissed to Luxiere.

"Hey, you want to hit the button to close the doors or what?"

"I did, thank you very much," he growled back at me.

"Well, try it again. You heard as well as I did- we only have a half hour to meet up at the launch site."

He jabbed at the button a second time, all the while eyeing me balefully.

"There. I pushed it. So just chill out."

"What's with you today, Lilith?" That from Kunsel. "You seem to want to pick a fight with everyone."

"It's not…look, I'm not trying to pick a fight here- really, I'm not."

"Then why'd you jump on Lux? He can't make this thing go any faster than it's going to."

I was about to answer, but it was too late. Genesis strode into the elevator first, followed by Angeal and Sephiroth. And to make matters even worse, the former chose to stand right next to me. _Of course,_ I grumbled inwardly. _Because out of anyone else, you'd pick the one who's most annoyed with you._

From the opposite corner, I caught Kunsel's sympathetic grimace. _Yeah, bet you know now why I was so keen to get those doors closed._ Little good it did me. We were stuck. Nearly fifty floors to the lobby. Oh hurray. Not a good omen for how the rest of this mission would play out. Hadn't even begun and already I dreaded spending the next several days in close quarters with any of them.

Not at all how I'd envisioned my first mission with Shinra's elite SOLDIERs. In my many daydreams of this moment, I'd always assumed that they would recognize my skills. That I'd be an important addition to their team against whatever battle we would be facing. But judging by their reactions this morning, Sephiroth and Genesis both saw me as a liability rather than an asset. I couldn't tell whether it was a comment on how few missions I'd been on thus far or my gender, I couldn't say. The message was clear enough, though. They didn't want me here.

 _Well that's just too bad. Because I'm going with you whether you like it or not._

* * *

The airship was about to land, delivering them at last to their destination in Junon. In Zack's opinion, this trip couldn't end soon enough. When he'd thrown out Lilith's name last night, he never could have imagined the level of antagonism that might spring up between her and Genesis. If he had, maybe he would've chosen someone else for this mission. To have them all but at each other's throats was not going to help them solve Junon's problem.

And from what he saw as the ship touched down, the city _definitely_ had a problem. The harbor docks were decimated- torn to pieces and half underwater. Parts of the city proper closest to the port were likewise in ruin. Beside him, Kunsel was peering out the window just as intently.

"Damn," his friend swore under his breath. "What a mess."

"It certainly is."

"What'd you think would cause something like that, Zack?"

He suspected he knew, but didn't want to say it aloud, and so he just shrugged.

"Dunno. Guess we'll find out once we meet up with the city mayor."

A slight jolt told him that the airship was secured to the platform. Zack stood up from his seat and gathered his gear to disembark the vessel. The others were doing the same. He kept an eye on Lilith, who was doing her best to ignore both Genesis and Sephiroth. As for those two, they appeared far too interested in _her_ for his comfort.

This wasn't Genesis' usual boast that he could win the attention of a woman. If it were, he'd be a lot less worried. As far as he could tell, Lilith lived for the job and spared very little energy towards her personal life. He'd never even heard of her seeing anyone since she'd joined SOLDIER. So he doubted those Genesis would change her opinion on that subject.

 _Well…_ Zack cast a fleeting glance at Sephiroth. Unlike Genesis, he wasn't exactly known for having a reputation with the ladies. _But if he_ were _of the mind to try for Lilith in earnest, I'm not sure she'd stand a chance._ That thought was nearly enough to change his mind about the enmity between his friend and Shinra's finest SOLDIERs. If they hated one another, it kept that potential for disaster to a minimum.

But what worried him most right now was that Sephiroth and Genesis seemed to view her as some sort of game. Granted, each played in a different way. The latter was more vocal, dancing on the edge of taunting Lilith whenever he thought he could get away with it. Sephiroth spoke hardly a word the whole flight to Junon, but as she'd pointed out earlier, his amusement at her expense was more than obvious.

Once or twice, Angeal glanced his way with a look that communicated his annoyance about the whole mess. Having Lilith on this mission was disrupting his mentor's vision of a cohesive unit that performed its duty with a sense of honor. Zack wasn't surprised when Angeal pulled him aside once the others had gone on ahead.

"You're sure about bringing her along on this mission? Or should I send her back to Midgar?"

He wasn't as sure as he'd been last night, but couldn't bring himself to dash Lilith's hopes of proving herself now that she was here.

"I know that you all- Genesis and Sephiroth especially- have your doubts. But Lilith can do this." _Don't make me regret saying those words, Lilith._ "Give her a chance."

Angeal sighed heavily, combing a hand roughly through his hair.

"It's not her skills I doubt so much as the effect she's having on our team dynamic."

"The blame isn't all on her for that," he couldn't help pointing out. "I don't see you thinking to send either of _them_ back to Midgar for their share of it."

"You know I can't do that. They're critical to completing this mission."

"But Lilith's not, is what you're saying. Because she's a 2nd Class."

His words held a bite to them; apparently, Lilith's combative mood was catching. Zack rarely argued, but all of this struck a nerve that he couldn't let go. His mentor hadn't expected him to speak so frankly, and was now put in a difficult position. Angeal could deny all he liked that what he'd said wasn't true, but his question about sending Lilith back to Midgar only belied any claim that she was important.

In the end, the man reluctantly capitulated the point, "It's not fair, I know. And in a perfect world, it would be. This isn't a perfect world, Zack."

"You're right, Angeal," he replied with a wan smile. "A perfect world would have no need for SOLDIERs like us."

The man's own expression was just as rueful, but he said nothing. Zack adjusted his gear and considered the discussion ended. When his mentor and friend didn't stop him from leaving, he turned just enough to say one final thing.

"Go on and do whatever you think is best regarding Lilith. But if you _do_ send Lilith back, Angeal, she deserves to know the true reason _why_. You owe her that much."

And without waiting for a reply, he stepped through the doorway and headed off to join the others on the platform outside.


	3. Chapter 3: Battle at Junon

"Are we all clear about the assignments for the battle?"

I struggled to bite back the snarky reply hovering on the tip of my tongue. Oh how I wanted to give that over-bearing tyrant, Sephiroth, a piece of my mind. But for Zack's sake, I'd be civil and…polite. Wasn't easy, since he'd given me what amounted to a nominal part of this mission. While everyone else was to fight in the battle, I was barely skirting the edges- scouting for any signs of any additional enemies.

 _Like some kid sent to the movies to keep out of the way of the grownups,_ I thought resentfully. Aloud, I merely agreed with the plan like everyone else. I didn't really have a choice, unless I wanted to be sent back to Midgar.

Angeal had pulled me aside to issue yet another reminder that I should comport myself with honor as a Shinra SOLDIER. He may not have said the 'or else' part, but I heard it none-the-less. Any sign of disharmony with Genesis or Sephiroth and I was back on that airship, never to receive another mission like this again. But like Zack, he'd also bade me to come to him if I felt undue pressure from those two.

 _No one thinks I can do anything without_ their _help._

So frustrating, and for the hundredth time in my life, I wished I'd been born male. After the initial ribbing about their skills, no one was making a big deal about Luxiere or Kunsel's limited experience in serious battle- well, maybe _some_ from Sephiroth and Genesis. Still, they would get to fight the same as everyone else. Not me. I suspected my gender weighed heavily in that decision.

"If no one wishes to bring up any disputes," he cast an arch look in my direction and paused. Waiting for me to take the bait. But when I kept resolutely silent, Sephiroth shrugged to continue his order, "Then we should all get to our positions. The next attack should begin in under an hour."

He, Genesis and Angeal led the way; I and the rest of my 2nd Class comrades hung back a pace or two. For my part, I just wanted to keep chances of arguments to a minimum by keeping my distance. As for my friends, I think they just wanted an excuse to talk amongst themselves away from the ears of the more experienced SOLDIERs.

"So do you really think this thing is what the town mayor said it was, Zack," asked Luxiere. "I mean…no one's _seen_ one in well over a decade."

"I'm almost certain it's true. Did you see the harbor? What else could do something like that?"

"Well, yeah, but still…"

"I'm going to have to agree with Zack," Kunsel conceded in a hushed whisper. "What I saw of the docks and harbor is the work of a Leviathan."

At the mention of the beast's name, a moment of silence passed among us. Luxiere was still doubtful, but I suspected he just didn't want to believe that they'd be fighting such a fearsome creature. Even _with_ the help of the top three 1st Class SOLDIERs in Shinra's history. I wasn't so worried, too focused on the question no one seemed to have asked at the brief meeting with the mayor. A question I couldn't help bringing up now.

"I have to wonder who summoned it- and why."

"Hmm?"

"Everyone's so focused on how we're going to fight the monster," I explained. "But no one is asking who set it loose upon Junon in the first place."

"I suppose we didn't," Zack admitted thoughtfully. "But I'm sure that's something Angeal and the others will have already considered. It's unlikely they'd share those kinds of details with SOLDIERs of our rank."

"And if they didn't?"

"Lilith, our job is to defeat the enemy terrorizing Junon," Luxiere whined plaintively. "What does it matter to know why it's here?"

"If that Leviathan is only a part of a much larger trap that someone's set for Shinra- wouldn't you want to know before stepping onto the field for battle?"

"Someone like who?"

"That's exactly my point. We don't know."

"What makes you think it's a trap, anyway," Zack queried.

"Think about the skill needed- not to mention the raw Mako Energy- to fuse Materia strong enough to summon a Leviathan. I can't think of anyone with access to either that would go through the effort without a plan in mind. Or that they wouldn't be capable of creating something stronger yet."

They didn't want to credit my theory, but I could see by their faces that it had struck true. Unfortunately for all of us, it was too late. We were committed to the battle plan that our senior officers had orchestrated. If they hadn't anticipated that it could be a trap, we'd just have to deal with that when the time came. Hopefully it didn't.

"You think it's worth bringing up to the others?"

"Be my guest," I replied grimly. "Let me know how that goes for you, Kunsel."

"No- I mean…well, it's _your_ theory. Shouldn't _you_ say something?"

"Oh yeah, me. The one that those three would like to have left behind in Midgar? Questioning Sephiroth on the thoroughness of his planning would go over _real_ well."

"Not so much."

"So what- we do nothing?"

The other two looked to Zack for an answer to that question. He stared ahead for a moment or two before supplying one.

"We do our best in the battle and keep our eyes open for anything that might alert us to a possible trap. I don't think we can do more than that."

The time had come to part company. Kunsel's position was just ahead; Zack and Luxiere were off to the left. And me- well, I had a long walk ahead of me to get to my post at the very furthest edge of the docks. I bid them all good luck as my footsteps carried me there. The streets were all eerily empty of anyone. How much of that was fear for the beast and how much was fear of our presence from Shinra Headquarters? A little bit of both, I imagined.

When I arrived at the designated lookout position Sephiroth had assigned to me, I pulled up a sturdy crate and leaned against it. Now to wait for that Leviathan to show up. Given how calm the water seemed, I wondered if it would attack today as Sephiroth had said it would. The minutes passed uneventfully. If I weren't so annoyed about the whole mission situation, sitting here might have almost been peaceful.

No sooner had that thought crossed my mind, the tranquility of the late morning was shattered as a giant serpent rose out of the sea with a deafening roar. The neck and head were easily as tall as a five-story building; who could guess how big the body below the surface might be. For a few seconds, I froze with a mixture of awe and terror to see such a beast for the first time.

 _Magnificent_ , I couldn't help thinking. _I only wish we didn't have to destroy it._

The Leviathan appeared as predicted- more towards the central section of the docks, where Genesis and Angeal looked to be arming themselves for the battle. And just as I feared, here I sat, so far out of the way that I would be lucky to feel a single drop of water much less participate in any of the fighting. I could only watch enviously while the others darted in to strike at the serpent with lightning speed.

Arrogant or not, I could not deny that Genesis and Sephiroth were skilled fighters. They countered the beast's drenching water attacks as if they were no more than a gentle spring rain. I held in a breath, watching the brilliant flashes of Masamune, rapier and Buster Sword. A few times, I even saw Zack or one of the others join in.

 _And I'm stuck on the sidelines._ I scuffed my boots on the surface of the dock, casting a dejected frown at the gently rippling water below. _I guess this is their way of teaching me a lesson for speaking out at the debrief._

With a sigh, I resigned myself to admitting that maybe I'd overreacted this morning, and brought all this on myself. I still felt that those two had no right to be so condescending, but probably should have taken Zack's approach and just shrugged it off like Kunsel and Luxiere did. Maybe if I had, I'd be over there with the rest of them, making a favorable impression on the trio of 1st Classes that might help me advance my own career with SOLDIER.

As I continued to stare down at the murky water, a flurry of movement just under the surface caught my eye. But it was gone before I could get a proper look. Curious what it might be, I got up from my perch on the crate and strolled over to the water's edge to investigate. For a minute or two, nothing. A bit of seaweed bobbed in the disturbance caused by the battle still raging off to my left. That was it.

I began to think I'd imagined seeing anything, a desperate hope that maybe I might have something to do. Disgusted with myself, I was about to turn away, when a large, scaled body arrowed through the water only feet away from where I stood. I laid a hand to the hilt of my sword, gripping it tightly.

But I wasn't sure if the creature was part of the Leviathan attack, or was just a native species swimming around the harbor. No one would thank me for harming an innocent creature, after all. Then again, why would anything come this close when that great serpent was around? I would have thought all aquatic life would have fled for safety elsewhere until it was gone.

The sinuous beast passed in front of me again, so swift that its passing threw a jet of spray onto the pier. I shielded myself as best I could; my clothes were still soaked through with the brackish water. Muttering about how a lack of care would now mean I'd have to wash my gear tonight, I backed away from the edge.

A good thing I did, too, because in the next second, a buttery-yellow serpent flung itself out of the water in an aggressive charge. An Oceanus. Not quite so large as the Leviathan, but still impressive in its own right. And had I not moved, it would have caught me in its maw almost certainly. As it slithered below the surface once more, I could not mistake the malice in its gaze when it looked at me.

No, this was no benign creature that happened to be here by chance- it was here to fight like its massive cousin. I drew my weapon and prepared to meet its next charge. Sure enough, the beast arced out of the water to lash at me again. I ducked under the deadly spines protecting its head, trying to aim a strike to the vulnerable patch of skin under its throat.

The blade missed its mark, sliding harmlessly along the toughened scales of the creature. An enraged screech rang in the air loudly enough to shred my eardrums. With no free hand to cover them against the noise, I held onto my weapon and tumbled nimbly out of the way before the serpent slammed onto the pier. It, too, missed its intended target: Me.

When it rose from the water a third time, I expected another opportunity to spear it with my sword. But instead of lunging in close, the Oceanus drew itself skyward and let loose a magic attack that shook the earth violently beneath my feet. The stacked crates tumbled into the sea and I scrabbled to stay upright without lowering my weapon. The serpent roared again, as if daring me to attack it; I was more than happy to oblige.

"Come on and get me if you can," I taunted it, blinking droplets of water from my eyes. "I'm ready for you!"

We met and clashed again. I let loose my counter-attack, Sword of Doom, earning a blow that seemed to stun the giant Oceanus for a few moments. But even that victory was short-lived, as it dove in for another foray. I parried it, though not as smoothly as I expected. Hours of training practice against simulated enemies weren't quite the same as a real battle.

 _Not to mention, in none of them am I expected to fight while drenched in seawater, chilled down to the bone._

A difference I was very much aware of as my numbed fingers nearly lost their grip for the tenth time. The sea churned and sloshed over the rough planks of the dock, making for treacherous footing as I wove and danced around my aquatic opponent. At this point, I was so focused on the Oceanus that I had no time to check how the rest of our team was faring against the Leviathan.

As the battle raged on, I could feel my energy wane. My reaction time grew slower with each new attack from the serpent; my own strikes weakened noticeably. If I didn't find a way to end this soon, the Oceanus would overpower me and I would be finished. Daring a risky gamble, I charged the edge of the dock.

The beast unleashed a second wave of magic that wrenched the pier from its supports. I lost my footing, flung over the edge to dangle precariously above the roiling water below. My sword lie uselessly out of reach. Not that I could have brandished it effectively when I needed both hands to hang onto the slippery wooden boards. Behind me, the creature roared in triumph, certain that it had me beaten.

 _Not today, you wretched monster,_ I swore virulently. _I won't lose to the likes of you so easily._

Determination gave me the boost I needed to haul myself back onto the pier. Not quickly enough to entirely escape the Oceanus, though. Pain lanced through my right leg from ankle to knee. I ignored it, snatched up my discarded weapon, and reclaimed my fighting stance. The creature bellowed its fury at having lost its prey, and in that maddened state, dove in for another strike.

 _This is it. Finish this creature now or it will finish you._

I let out a yell of my own, brandished my weapon and leapt straight for the beast's head. The sword plunged with deadly accuracy into its eye, and we collapsed to the wooden planks with a tremendous crash. Beams splintered and groaned under the weight of its heaving body as the serpent gasped its final breaths.

As for myself, I was exhausted. Cold, wet- and now that the creature was vanquished, acutely aware of the pain in my injured leg. I withdrew my sword from where it remained lodged in the serpent's eye and edged wearily away from the scaly corpse. Only when I was certain I was out of range did I dare to lie flat on my back, closing my eyes against the blinding sun over head as I tried to regain a sense of calm.

The sound of anxious shouting roused me enough to raise my head. Zack and Kunsel raced down the length of the pier, shouting my name.

"Lilith!"

I propped myself up on one elbow, shielding my eyes with one hand. My friends slowed to a jog as they reached my side and dropped to one knee.

"Are you all right," Zack demanded fiercely.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Oh damn- look at her leg, Zack."

"It's fine," I protested and tried to get to my feet.

My effort was to no avail, as both of them prevented me from making even the smallest movement. And by now, Luxiere had joined us, hovering over them to inspect the wound for himself with a grimace.

"That'll need healing for sure," Kunsel insisted. "But it could have been much worse, I guess."

"Seriously, guys, I'm okay."

"That thing could have killed you, Lilith."

"But it didn't."

The three of them stared hard at the lifeless Oceanus only a few yards away. Zack shook his head and muttered half to himself, "What in the hell was something like that doing here, anyway? They're _never_ this close to land."

"Search me," Luxiere replied with a shrug. "But it would have wreaked havoc on this side of the harbor by the time we'd finished with the Leviathan."

"Indeed it would have," purred a silvery voice overhead. "But it appears the lady handled the threat herself."

"So she did," Genesis agreed. "Although not without injury. As her friend over there said- lucky it wasn't worse."

I couldn't quite tell if those two were sincere, or if they were just making fun of me again. So hard to tell. But when Zack stepped aside to let Angeal through, I noticed the latter was genuinely concerned. He turned to Kunsel and Luxiere, ordering them to clear off the dock of the debris- including the remains of the serpent. Once that had been seen to, he focused his attention back to me.

"You're lucky to be alive, facing an Oceanus alone."

"I didn't really have much of a choice," I countered with a wry smile. "The Leviathan was keeping you all busy, and I was here, so what else was I to do? Run away?"

I heard a slight shuffle behind me, and Angeal glanced up at either Sephiroth or Genesis; I wasn't about to tilt my head backwards to see for myself which one. Whoever it was didn't say a word before Angeal's gaze swept down again.

"No, you did what you were supposed to do- what any SOLDIER is supposed to do- defend the city against an enemy attack."

"I was glad to be of some help."

"How's the leg, then? Do you think it'll support you long enough to get back to a Healer?"

"Maybe- I guess we'll see when I try to stand up, won't we?"

"All right, then."

He backed away, giving me room to maneuver. I drew up my good leg, using it to take most of my weight as I staggered to my feet. Fiery tingles shot through my right leg, and I gritted my teeth against the pain. Getting hurt definitely was not a part of battle that I enjoyed. But maybe if I braved through this, it might prove to Genesis and Sephiroth that I was worthy of being in SOLDIER.

I thought I might be able to limp on my injured leg- even if I had to take it slowly. But at the first step, my knee gave way beneath me and I nearly tumbled back to the ground. Only by shifting quickly back to my left foot did I prevent such a disgraceful mishap. Angeal frowned.

"No, I don't think that's a good idea. If we let you walk up to the city alone, you're likely to take a bad fall along the way."

"It's not that bad. I just need a minute or two to adjust…"

"Kunsel," he called out before I could finish. My friend had just finished heaving the last remnants of serpent carcass into the sea. "Will you assist Lilith back to the city?"

"Yes, sir," Kunsel answered. With that, he came up beside me and draped my right arm across his shoulders to support my weight. "All good, Lilith?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Let's get you off to a Healer, then, and get that leg seen to. There's bound to be some celebration tonight now that we've defeated the Leviathan. Would hate to see you miss it on account of this injury."

"Me, too, Kunsel. Me, too."


	4. Chapter 4: The Best Laid Plans

"On behalf of Junon, let me declare that we are eternally grateful to you all for dispatching that terrible beast from our harbor. Truly, your skill and efficiency is truly remarkable. The Shinra Electric Company should be proud of the work you do for them."

The mayor of Junon continued on with his adulations, although from what Sephiroth could surmise, it was more for the love of the sound of his own voice than anything else. So boring. He wouldn't have graced this little gathering with his presence if Angeal hadn't insisted upon it. And now he was very much regretting having listened to his friend. Was this portly little man ever going to get to the point of this speech?

"….and as Midgar is our largest trading partner…"

Apparently not. He caught Genesis' attention and rolled his eyes heavenward in sheer boredom. His friend returned it with a shrug and a smirk. Maybe Angeal found all this tedium gratifying, but Sephiroth knew _his_ reward would be found elsewhere. So the sooner this meeting adjourned, the sooner he could get to the business of enjoying it.

"…heard of the injury of one in your group."

Those words drew his notice. Sephiroth was curious what Junon's mayor had to say about Lilith's encounter with the Oceanus.

"I hope that the wounds were not serious."

"A gash to the leg," Angeal assured the man. He glanced over to where she stood with the other 2nd Classes. "Easily mended with the assistance of a Healer."

"Excellent news." Now he, too, turned his attention to Lilith directly. With a troubled expression, he suggested in a patronizing tone, "Such a dangerous profession, my dear. So many risks when there are so many other options to choose from. Perhaps you might see today as an opportunity to reflect upon your decision."

Oh if looks could kill a man…this one would be every bit as dead as that serpent Lilith slayed only this afternoon. Junon would mourn the loss of their current mayor tonight, and look forward to the task of electing his replacement tomorrow morning. Her fury at his high-handed advice was palpable. Beside her, Zack and his two friends traded nervous looks as they fully expected her to rip the mayor apart.

But they- and Sephiroth- were sadly disappointed that she did not explode into a tirade as she had this morning. Lilith merely smiled and replied serenely, "Today has given me much to think about, Mayor. I will not forget your counsel when I have a moment for reflection."

Deceptively polite words sheathing a razor-sharp insult. It would seem the lady had learned a lesson from the exchange with Genesis, and was adapting her tactics. Sephiroth knew such an approach would do her no good where his friend was concerned, but they worked on Junon's mayor, in any case. The simple-minded fool actually thought she was _complimenting_ him.

"Wonderful, my dear. I'm glad to hear it."

The urge to chuckle at the absurdity of the situation was almost too much for him. Genesis and Zack were finding it difficult to hold in their laughter as well, the former covering it up with a raspy cough. The other two puppies hadn't quite caught on yet; they weren't quite as quick-witted as their dark-haired friend or the lady, it would seem.

Mercifully, the mayor carried on with his intended speech, drawing their meeting to a close.

"Well, I wish to thank you all once more for your efforts today. Junon is indebted to you, and as part of our gratitude, please feel free to spend the evening on the town- free of charge."

"That's actually not-"

Angeal very nearly ruined the generous offer, but Sephiroth cut him off before he could give a speech about how SOLDIERs didn't require such thanks, or anything about their honor in serving the people.

"Not an invitation to be wasted. I think I speak for the group when I say that we wouldn't dream of disappointing Junon's finest establishments by returning to Midgar without a proper celebration. Shall we be off, gentlemen?" He shifted his gaze to Lilith and raised an eyebrow, "and lady?"

Hamstrung by his desire to present a unified front when they were on Shinra business, Angeal set his mouth in a grim line and made no attempt to argue. No doubt he'd have words to say about this stunt later- after a few drinks had loosened his tongue a bit. Maybe. But Sephiroth wasn't worried about that. Right now, he was all about living it up on the town tonight.

"Sounds like a great idea to me," Genesis answered when no one else seemed inclined to second his plan.

In short order, their group escaped the mayor's office and found themselves amid the crowds of Junon's denizens, all eager to celebrate that the Leviathan was no more. Still dressed in the same clothes they'd been wearing to battle, the seven of them stuck out noticeably. And while he enjoyed the timorous reverence his attire garnered, that reaction would work against Sephiroth's ideas for this evening's revelry.

"Well, since you insisted upon taking advantage of Junon's hospitality," Angeal broke in. "I insist that we remain as a group."

"You can't be serious," Genesis protested. "You really want to spend all night with…"

He stopped just short of saying the rest of that sentence aloud, knowing that it would only push their friend beyond his limits. Besides, this time Sephiroth doubted his objections had anything to do with rank.

"Yes. Either we go out together, or no one goes."

"But…seven of us? Aren't you worried that'll be a bit much for these people to handle? You have to admit it would be easier to break out into smaller groups."

Angeal crossed his arms, leveling a heavy stare intended to wear down even the most stubborn of wills. It worked, too, since Genesis capitulated with a frustrated sigh.

"Fine, have it your way, then. But don't cry to me if none of us see any action."

The three junior SOLDIERs shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, while doing their best not to look directly at Lilith. Sephiroth suppressed a sigh. _That's what comes of inviting females along for a mission. Comments like that aren't so damned awkward when they're not around._ But now it was out there, and he supposed they'd all have to deal with Genesis'…appetites. Even Lilith. And if she didn't like it, she could stay at Headquarters next time.

"Either way, I propose a change of apparel if we're to be suitably dressed for a night of celebrating," Sephiroth pointed out when the silence had gone on sufficiently long enough. "The mayor reserved a few rooms at the hotel just ahead for our private use. Make use of the next half hour and be in the lobby. We'll depart from there."

He didn't wait for the rest of them to follow his advice, and headed for the hotel. The sound of footsteps indicated that they had. Genesis and Angeal caught up quickly, neither saying much as they crossed the street together. From some distance behind, Sephiroth heard the hushed conversation between Lilith and her little friends.

"You know on second thought, perhaps I ought to just stay in tonight," she suggested.

"What- because of the leg?"

"Well…"

"Lux, you dolt. Of course it's not that."

" _Hey!_ " the young SOLDIER interjected with mild outrage at the insult. "It was a reasonable question, given the battle today. What else was I supposed to think?"

"Try listening with your ears once in a while. It's obviously about-"

"Dude, speaking of listening- you realize your voice carries further than you might think, right?"

"I'm just saying that after a comment like that, I might think of staying behind, too, if I were her."

"Guys, really," Lilith interrupted quickly. "I don't care."

 _You don't, do you?_ Sephiroth chalked her boast up to pure bravado- just trying to 'fit in'. But she'd never seen his friend in action, and reality was going to come as quite a shock when she saw it firsthand. Sephiroth confessed he found the prospect of observing how the lady would handle such a situation amusing.

Would she give Genesis hell as she had this morning, or try something more subtle? Definitely worth finding out. Of course, if he had any hopes of seeing those fireworks, Lilith could not be permitted to stay behind. Sephiroth was about to prod his friend into reminding the group of 2nd Classes of his earlier edict, but then their conversation picked up again.

"So then why not come with us," Zack asked in a puzzled tone. "If it's not the leg or, uh, the other thing…"

"I just don't think a night out is for me, okay?"

"It's not the argument from this morning, is it? If you don't remind him of that, we'll get on fine."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Their company had more or less entered the lobby, though still spaced apart in two groups. Sephiroth turned his head slightly- enough that he could see the others out of the corner of his eye. Even without a proper view, he could see the lady's growing frustration at her friends. Her exhaled breath resembled a serpent's hiss.

"I don't have anything to wear," Lilith snarled in an angry whisper. "I only brought my gear for the battle- not exactly the sort of thing meant for nightclubs. Happy, now?"

So she did have at least _some_ sense of vanity. Or at the very least, sense enough to know what most women would wear in this situation. _Although apparently, she hadn't thought to prepare herself for it._

Not entirely surprising. In the half-dozen times he'd caught a passing glance of her around Shinra Headquarters, Sephiroth had never seen her wearing anything other than the SOLDIER uniform. Granted, he'd never cared to seek her out beyond the workplace, but a reasonable person might easily assume that Lilith wasn't exactly the most feminine type. Did she even _own_ anything dressy?

"Oh c'mon, Lilith," Kunsel's plaintive whine cut into his thoughts. "No one's going to care what you're wearing."

At this point, the lady had clearly decided their discussion was over, and stalked right past Genesis without even a backward glance to her friends. His friend raised an eyebrow at him, no doubt having heard the whole exchange as clearly as he had. Might have dared comment if Zack hadn't rushed after her before she made it to the elevators.

"Hey, hey, just hold up a minute. I'm sure we can think of something to fix this. You don't really want to stay in your room all night, do you?"

"I'll be fine."

The young puppy wasn't making much progress swaying Lilith from her decision, so Sephiroth deemed it necessary to take that upon himself. He sided up to the two, casually pressed the call button and said, "As much as I do love to see a lively debate, I believe both of you have forgotten something very important."

"What's that?" the dark-haired youngster asked.

"Angeal was very clear- either we all go, or none of us go."

"But, surely…"

"So in half an hour, we will be in the lobby- _all_ of us," he added with a meaningful look in Lilith's direction.

She wanted to argue, but wouldn't. Just as she hadn't argued with him about her assignment for the battle. Whether the reprieve had something to do with Angeal's speech this morning, or something about him _personally_ , Sephiroth wasn't sure. Pity. He would have found the challenge interesting, even if she couldn't have won. But although Lilith was thwarted in a direct confrontation, she at least didn't pretend that she was happy about the order.

"Well, I suppose _that's_ settled, then." When the elevator doors opened, she made no move to step inside. "I might as well see how I can make the best use of thirty minutes."

The doors slid closed, leaving him standing with only Angeal and Genesis; Zack and his two friends had remained in the lobby with Lilith. Sephiroth leaned against the polished metal rail, unable to contain his bemused smirk. Of course, that only encouraged his friend to comment.

"You could have just let her stay at the hotel. I'm sure our buddy Angeal here wouldn't have cared if the lady spent the evening in her room while we all had a good time. I mean, you heard her- she doesn't even want to go. So what's your angle?"

Trust Genesis to suspect him of plotting. And to bring it up in front of Angeal, too. So not the time to ask. Even a harmless curiosity to see Lilith try- and quite possibly fail- to fit in with their group would be met with disapproval on his end. So Sephiroth shrugged with feigned indifference and offered a plausible excuse.

"If Lilith goes, it'll occupy the other three looking out for her. I figured you of all of us would have appreciated having fewer rivals for female attention. After all, you were quite vocal about your worries on that score just a few minutes ago."

"I suppose that's one way to clear the field."

"And she _did_ fight in the battle this afternoon," Sephiroth continued. "She ought to see the rewards for it no different than the rest of us."

"Yeah, that was unexpected. An Oceanus just happens to be in Junon harbor the same time as that Leviathan? Not exactly part of the plan."

 _No, it most definitely wasn't,_ he admitted silently.

Sephiroth was not at all happy about that, either. Not so much that the lady was involved- rather that he'd been caught by surprise with the unexpected appearance of an enemy other than the Leviathan. No one had mentioned a word of an Oceanus at any of the briefings or in the communications to Shinra Headquarters.

At the very hint of a possible secondary threat, he would have tweaked his battle strategy to have put at least one of the other 2nd Classes down at the far end of the pier with Lilith. Never would have left a weak fighter to guard a potentially vulnerable strike zone alone. If she hadn't held her ground, that Oceanus would have made for some serious trouble- not to mention marred his reputation as Shinra's best tactician.

Absolutely unfathomable. In all his years fighting for Shinra, Sephiroth had _never_ misjudged a battle. Knowing how close he'd come to doing so this time infuriated him. Only the sheerest luck had prevented it. _Well, and perhaps some skill on Lilith's part,_ a thought whispered in the back of his mind. _Even the_ best _of luck wouldn't have slain an Oceanus single-handedly._

"Hey- were you even listening?"

Sephiroth hadn't been, too preoccupied in reviewing the details of their battle this afternoon, and didn't pretend to have heard anything of Genesis and Angeal's conversation.

"No, I wasn't." His friend sighed, irked at Sephiroth's lack of attention, and was about to repeat himself when the elevator reached their floor. "And to quote the lady, I'm eager to make the most of the next half hour. Junon won't wait on us for very long, gentlemen. So whatever it was can wait for tomorrow."

* * *

The elevator was gone, as were the trio of 1st Classes. For several seconds, Lilith continued to stare at the closed doors, and then she let out a reluctant sigh.

"Dammit."

Zack felt somewhat responsible for pushing the issue in front of everyone…and for getting Sephiroth involved. Who knew why _he'd_ been so adamant that she come along. But what was done was done, so he offered as much of an apology as he could manage.

"Hey- so, yeah…that didn't quite play out as I meant it to."

"I know."

"So what're you going to do," Luxiere asked.

"Well I can't go out wearing this." Lilith gestured to the right leg of her pants, which were torn from the battle against the Oceanus. "And since I don't have anything else, I guess I've got a half hour to find something acceptable."

"Sooo…?"

"Clothes shopping," she clarified for him with a deadpan expression. "I'm going clothes shopping, Luxiere."

"Oh."

While he was finally catching up with the rest of them, Kunsel seemed unable to contain a question of his own.

"Like- for a dress?"

"No, for a lampshade." Lilith rolled her eyes at him. "Of course for a dress. Geez, I don't see why this concept is so difficult to grasp. Now I have to get going."

The three of them moved aside to let her pass. Kunsel hazarded a look Zack's way and lifted his shoulders in a brief shrug.

"I dunno about you both, but I'm more than a little curious to see this."

"You can't seriously want to go shopping."

"Hell no. But for once she's acting, you know… _normal_. Which is about as rare as a solar eclipse, so I'm not sure I want to miss it."

"Lilith isn't going to want us tagging along with her. I guarantee you that much."

"Yeah, I agree with Zack. And I need to get to my room to change out of these clothes."

"I guess you're right," their friend admitted with one final look at the door leading out to the street. "She's already gone, anyway."

The elevator returned to the lobby at that moment, beckoning them along the much wiser path of leaving Lilith to her own devices in completing her errand. Zack hesitated only in that if she went out alone and something happened to her, he'd hold himself responsible for it. So would Angeal. But he pushed that worry aside, hoping it wasn't a mistake.

That hope lingered in the back of his mind the whole time Zack traded his everyday gear for an ensemble that would fit in with the nightclub scene. A well-made shirt and tailored slacks. Didn't have much use for them most of the time, since he preferred the more down-to-earth pubs. But he knew the sort of places Genesis and Sephiroth would want to patronize, and came prepared.

 _Probably should have warned Lilith when I called her last night, seeing as though she's never been on a mission with either of them before like I have._

Would have spared them all the awkward discussion downstairs if he had. Now she was spending part of her pay received for the mission on buying a new dress when she could have brought one with her. Zack sighed, stepping out into the hall. He supposed out of every possible mishap that could have happened to Lilith today, buying clothes ranked at the bottom.

A near-death encounter occupied the top of that list. He'd been almost certain that the Oceanus had stuck a fatal blow when he'd seen Lilith lying so still on the pier today. In the minutes it had taken him to reach her, the litany of reasons why her death was his fault replayed in his head. Angeal hadn't picked Lilith for the mission to Junon; Zack had. Just as he'd been the one to insist she stay when his mentor was on the verge of sending her back to Midgar. He couldn't help thinking that he should have listened.

But she'd been all right- minus the gashed leg, of course. He was angry about even that minor injury. As much with Sephiroth as anything else, since he's the one who had posted her alone on the pier. Had the commander just _assumed_ she would be so far out of the way that Lilith didn't need anyone to watch her back, or had he _known_ about the threat of an Oceanus and set her up expecting her to fail? Or to be killed.

Zack didn't like having those kinds of thoughts about the man who was supposed to be their leader. Leaders protected their team- the _whole_ team. But if Sephiroth hadn't intended for Lilith to fight the Oceanus alone, he would have to have been unaware of it. Not exactly the most comforting thought, either. Sephiroth always knew _everything_ about the enemy before going into a battle.

If this time proved to be different, then maybe Lilith wasn't so crazy for the questions she was asking before the battle started. Maybe they should have been more interested in who created the Leviathan. Zack bet that whoever did was also responsible for the Oceanus. He'd have to bring it up to Angeal tomorrow; tonight was not the right atmosphere to talk about work when everyone would be focused on having a good time.

 _And speaking of…I ought to get to the lobby. It's nearing seven-thirty already._

A short ride in the elevator later and he soon found himself standing with Kunsel and Luxiere again. They'd both changed clothes, and were casting curious looks around the downstairs lounge. He did likewise, scouting for Lilith. But she didn't appear to be among any of the hotel patrons milling around. His gaze lingered for an extra second on a lovely auburn-haired woman standing next to the bar in a charcoal grey dress. She'd just shaken her head at a man who looked to be offering to buy her a drink. Zack left the pair to their conversation and kept on his search.

"We appear to be missing someone," Sephiroth's voice noted from behind him. Zack turned around in time to see all three 1st Classes approaching their group from the direction of the elevators. With a slight frown, their leader continued, "I do hope the lady understood that attendance was not optional."

"She'll be here," Zack promised. "Lilith went out to buy something suitable, but she said she'd be back in time."

Now Angeal threw him a disapproving look; Zack knew what he was going to say even before the words left his mouth.

"Said? You let her go out alone?"

"She didn't need a babysitter to go dress shopping," he argued futilely. "And it's not like she hasn't been to Junon before."

"That's not the point, Zack."

"Lilith can take care of herself."

"Do you have her cell number?"

"Well, yeah. But I'm sure she's just still upstairs getting ready. If we give her a minute or two, she'll…"

"Call her."

Zack swore inwardly, pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts to find Lilith's number. _She better damn well answer,_ he grumbled as he brought it up to his ear. The phone rang once, then twice. On the third ring, he didn't know whether to be annoyed or to panic. What if she didn't answer?

His call went straight to voicemail. Zack didn't bother to leave a message, hitting the button to end the call with mild irritation. Everyone else was looking at him expectantly, but Angeal was the first to say anything.

"Well?"

"She, uh, didn't pick up."

"Great," Kunsel muttered. "So _now_ what do we do. Lilith could be anywhere."

His friend wanted to give him a big 'I told you so'. If they'd just gone along with his idea earlier, they wouldn't be in this predicament, and Angeal wouldn't be staring daggers at them for having lost Lilith. Like she wasn't an adult who was responsible for her own actions. The three of them were about to catch hell all the same, when Lilith appeared from out of nowhere.

"So sorry- I got bored waiting down here by myself and lost track of time over at the bar. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long on my account."

That apology came from the woman he'd seen only a few minutes ago- the one in the grey dress. Zack had to check twice to be sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. That _was_ her, right? He had to admit that wearing that dress with her hair let down she looked _very_ different from the Lilith who fought with them on the battlefield today. Or even the one who spent her days training at Shinra.

He wasn't the only person to notice, as Luxiere's eyes practically fell out of their sockets. Thankfully, Kunsel nudged him in the ribs to get him to stop staring. What really worried Zack, though, was how Genesis and Sephiroth might react to such a dramatic change in her appearance. Neither of them looked overly impressed at the moment, but that didn't mean a damn thing.

 _There are plenty of women in Junon for you to score with tonight, Genesis,_ he warned silently. _So you best stick with them and just leave our friend alone._

To his dismay, Genesis chose to answer Lilith's question with a disarming smile, "No trouble at all. And since it looks like we're all ready- what's say we show ourselves a good time?"

"By all means, my friend," Sephiroth agreed in a smooth chuckle. He didn't look away from Lilith as he added, "I daresay we shan't be disappointed."

3


	5. Chapter 5: On the Town

Feeling extremely conspicuous, I edged as far from the group as I dared when we were leaving the hotel. To my relief, the trio of 1st Classes strode out in front, creating some distance between us and them. I suspected that was mostly Angeal's doing, and prayed it heralded a trend for the evening: together, but separate.

 _I'd hardly expect them to socialize with SOLDIERs of our rank, anyway._ Especially not Angeal- so adamant about the rules and regulations. I was sure he'd consider sharing even one drink with a 2nd Class tantamount to 'fraternization', though I knew him to bend the rules from time to time around Zack. Mentoring was a tricky business.

But as for the _other_ two… _I'm pretty sure they'd throw the rules about 'fraternization' out the window if it suited them._

Genesis was pretty straightforward. Even if he _hadn't_ made that comment earlier about 'seeing action', I had already heard the stories of his exploits. Eavesdropping in the break room offered a plethora of first-hand accounts. From what I gathered, so long as you never expected anything _serious_ , Genesis was a good time.

I suspected his aim was to let me know that despite our argument this morning, he was willing to overlook it if I was interested in finding out for myself. If he couldn't find more suitable company, of course. Message received- I knew how to deal with him. But Sephiroth….

I couldn't quite convince myself either way if he meant his veiled look to be provocative or not, and it did not help that the natural timbre of his voice bordered on sultry. Even the most innocuous suggestion sounded…suggestive. So a good time could be as simple as a night of free booze and fine food.

 _Or maybe not._

Glancing down at my newly purchased finery for the evening, I hoped that I wasn't the only one who could be misreading signals. My selection of this particular dress had nothing to do with catching _his_ attention. Well, anyone's, really. And definitely none of my fellow SOLDIERs. I had my own rules about _that_ kind of fraternization.

 _And I'm not about to break them,_ I vowed in silent determination. _Not even for the likes of Genesis or Sephiroth._

"You could pretend that you'll have a good time, Lilith," insisted Kunsel in a voice loud enough to refocus my attention to my friends. "You know, at least until we get to the club and we've gotten a few free rounds."

"Huh?"

"You're scowling and we've barely left the lobby."

"Sorry- didn't mean to be." I tried to banish any thoughts of the enigmatic remarks from the two 1st Classes with a fleeting smile. "Better?"

He seemed not to believe me genuine, rolling his eyes as he remarked, "I guess it'll have to do. Are you just allergic to having fun or what?"

"No," I answered somewhat irritably. "I am perfectly capable of having fun."

"Great," Zack interjected in an effort to sound cheerful. "Looking forward to seeing that tonight."

After we'd walked a bit, Luxiere spoke up, asking, "So any of you have a clue where we're even going? I've never been to Junon, so I'd be no help choosing a place."

"As if _we'll_ have any say in it." That complaint from Kunsel, to which he added, "I sure hope the drinks really are free tonight, or we're going to be spending deep at any of the upscale clubs _they'll_ want to patronize."

I added my own hopes to his on that score, since I'd just shelled out a pretty penny for this dress and didn't really have funds enough to cover a substantial bar tab. Not that I intended to have more than a drink or two. Getting drunk didn't seem like a smart idea most days; tonight, I suspected I might need my wits sharper than usual.

Even so, a few high-priced drinks would exhaust my meager budget for this trip.

"Well, except for Lilith," Luxiere pointed out as if it hardly merited comment.

I had no idea what he meant, and asked, "Except for me what?"

The three of them exchanged a look before he answered my question with one of his own.

"What do you think? You wouldn't have to pay for a thing even without that stuff-shirt politician's offer."

"Why? I'm not any different than the rest of you- so why wouldn't I pay my own way?"

"Because it may have escaped your notice, but you do have _one_ key advantage the rest of us don't."

I'd expected him to continue with some explanation of what that advantage might be; he didn't. Rather, it felt as if they thought I should already know. I honestly didn't. And when that fact became obvious to my friends, Luxiere looked to Zack for help. He only shrugged helplessly.

Kunsel took the challenge upon himself, directing a very pointed look at me. Well, at the dress I was wearing. I glanced down at myself, frowning, and then back up to the group.

"What, because I'm wearing a dress?"

"Because you're a woman, Lilith," he corrected me with a hint of incredulity. "Guys _always_ buy drinks for the ladies."

"Geez, it's like you've never been to a club or bar before."

When I hesitated, Zack supplied his own answer.

"You really _haven't_ , have you?"

"It's just not my thing, so why put me on trial over it?"

"How can it not be your thing," Luxiere wanted to know. "Did you not hear us- _free_ drinks. Any time you wanted."

I didn't say it aloud, but I very much doubted they were free. No one did anything without expecting something out of it, and I wasn't so naïve not to suspect what that _something_ might be. I'd rather just pay up the money; the gil, at least, I could replace.

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm just not that eager to bother with dressing up for some over-priced booze in a fancy glass."

Luxiere might have argued his point, but at that moment, we'd arrived at our intended destination. Sephiroth and the others were waiting outside what appeared to be a very exclusive night club. Judging by the clientele drifting in and out of the ornately designed entrance, I wondered how the four of us would merit an invitation inside.

 _We're never going to get into that place,_ I mused almost with relief. Maybe we'd be off the hook about this 'everyone or no one' business. Unlikely that I'd go back to the hotel at this point, since I was already dressed up. But perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to see just what the guys found so great about the nightclub scene if I didn't have to deal with the 1st Classes, too.

I wasn't the only one to question our chances of entering the club, as Kunsel voiced his thoughts, "You see? What'd I tell you? That place is way too ritzy for the likes of us. I bet we won't even get in the door- you watch."

The rest of us were silent as we shuffled to a halt next to Genesis and Angeal, who were talking amongst themselves while Sephiroth spoke with the club's representatives. From the supercilious tone of the one man's voice, I was almost ready to agree with Kunsel. We may have helped save Junon today- including clubs like this one- but lower ranking SOLDIERs weren't welcome here.

From my vantage point, Sephiroth's back was mostly towards me, so I couldn't see his reaction. But from what I gathered of his response, he was less than pleased. The few words I made out were still polite, but the tone communicated that making an exception would be in the man's best interest. Not that he was arguing on _our_ behalf, of course; he was just annoyed that he wasn't getting _his_ way about something.

A minor setback, and one that wouldn't last long. Sephiroth would convince the proprietor to change his mind in the end. Might as well sit back and wait for the inevitable. In the meantime, I took the opportunity to study the groups of men and women strolling past us on the sidewalk.

While color and style might vary, the former all sported highly fashionable suits. In the light provided by the lamps and surrounding businesses, their expensive watches and polished shoes bespoke affluence. The epitome of high society in Junon.

That is, until I turned my attention to the ladies in their midst. Draped in silks and other equally luxuriant fabrics, they made for quite the show for someone who grew up on rough streets and spent most of her time in the company of SOLDIERs. Certainly couldn't remember the last time I'd seen so much…bared skin. At least not by design.

Threadbare clothes because you couldn't afford anything decent didn't count. We certainly hadn't flaunted them as proudly as these ladies were doing, strutting past our group in skirts cut well above the knees or necklines that plunged almost indecently in front. Sometimes both. More than a few batted their eyelashes at Zack, smiling invitingly with lips the shade of crimson.

One might assume they'd spent hours applying make-up to achieve such stunning results. And if that wasn't enough to ensnare every male on the street, mesmerizing flashes of gold and silver- not to mention diamonds- kept everyone's attention riveted on them. The finely-crafted jewelry sparkled with every subtle movement they made. Or the not so subtle.

 _I'd probably twist my ankle if I tried to walk like that,_ I couldn't help thinking. _Even if that Oceanus hadn't tried to take off my leg earlier today._

Though I knew I shouldn't, I couldn't resist comparing myself against the vogue styles of the ladies around me. As I knew would be the case, my ensemble proved to be sadly lacking. The cut of my dress almost seemed prudish, despite having no sleeves and a four-inch slit in the knee-length skirt; to make things worse, I wore no jewelry or even any make-up.

 _A drab wren among exotic birds of paradise._

"Well, looks like you're wrong, Kunsel," Luxiere said.

I turned my attention back to the entrance of the club. Sure enough, the proprietor was nodding. Reluctantly, but he had obviously been cowed by Sephiroth's demands. The latter motioned to the rest of us to advance and follow them into the building. And, seeing not much choice but to obey, I forced my feet to move. Beside me, Kunsel grumbled a reply to our friend.

"Let's just hope that includes the part about whether we're paying our own way or not, too."

* * *

His opponent had been obstinate, but Sephiroth had beaten him in the end. As if there'd be any doubt of that. Once the representative realized that he wouldn't patronize the club without the others, the nonsense about 'guest standards' became a non-issue. Not surprisingly, the lure of profits to be had when it became known around Junon that he had come to _this_ club was too great to decline.

Word of it wouldn't take long to spread. As their group threaded through the crowded anterooms, conversations fell to hushed whispers as all eyes followed the procession. To be more specific- followed Sephiroth and Genesis. Angeal received a fair amount of attention, too. With the three of them in attendance, hardly anyone would spare the others more than a glance.

Eventually, their host brought them to a pair of opulent, private booths with an excellent view of the main dance floor. A perfect place to entertain important guests. The proprietor bade them to make themselves comfortable, and scurried off with the promise to send over the best of his staff to see to their needs. And no cause, he'd added, to worry about a bill; as the mayor had said, all expenses were covered.

"Getting in this place was more of a challenge than I would have thought," Genesis remarked as soon as they were alone. Even this far from the stage, his voice was nearly drowned by the music filling the club. "The Leviathan was an easier battle."

"True," Sephiroth agreed as he chose a seat. "But running a Masamune through that underling wasn't an option. I had to make do with less direct means of persuasion."

"I sure hope those four appreciate that without your help they'd still be keeping company with the others unworthy of an exclusive club like this."

"Genesis…"

"Angeal, you know I'm right. They don't belong here." He paused a moment to watch the others slip into the second booth, and amended, "Three of them, anyway."

He knew exactly which one his friend was excluding from that group. Angeal's disapproving frown indicated that he knew as well. But any lecture from that direction was cut off by Sephiroth's amused reply.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've changed your tune from earlier. Glad we didn't leave her behind at the hotel are you?"

"Well how was _I_ to know what a difference a dress would make? Besides, I'd half expected her to show up in the lobby wearing a suit like the rest of us. Since she didn't…"

Now their friend did say something, keeping his voice low enough not to be overheard in the other booth.

"Absolutely not, Genesis."

"What," he protested innocently. "I was just thinking that maybe I ought to make amends for my remarks of this morning."

"No you weren't. And I'm telling you right now- what you _were_ thinking of is against Shinra policy."

"Oh c'mon, man. It's always about the rules with you. It's not like a little fun once in a while is going to bring the whole company crashing down."

"I'm serious, Genesis. Leave her alone."

The arrival of several waitresses interrupted their argument, and not a moment too soon in Sephiroth's opinion. He was certain that his friend was only teasing, and had no intention of pursuing anything with Lilith. Tonight or any other night. Angeal was wasting his breath fighting a non-existent battle.

Not Sephiroth's problem. He smiled at the serving girl at his elbow, who presented him with a menu. After reading the list of specialties available, he indicated his order and passed it on to Genesis for his review. Both he and Angeal provided their selections, and then went right back to arguing.

Or tried to. No sooner had Genesis begun his rebuttal when a coterie of well-dressed females sauntered up to the table. Sephiroth recognized several of them from before, as they'd been walking into the club. Fangirls. Wherever they went, fangirls would always turn up. And for once, he wasn't annoyed. Well…not as much as he usually would be.

If Genesis were distracted by them, perhaps he'd stop torturing Angeal over the subject of Lilith. And this group promised to monopolize his friend's attention if they could. Young and excited to have their first encounter with Shinra's finest SOLDIERs. Oh yes, if allowed to stay, these ladies would be all too happy to make Genesis forget the woman in the next booth.

 _Which means I'm going to have to play along and suffer their incessant chatter._

Normally, he wouldn't. Sephiroth's tastes when it came to women ran more sophisticated. He'd chosen this club with that in mind, expecting to find at least one or two he might deem acceptable. A long shot, really. Which was why he left courting women to his counterpart, Genesis, who enjoyed it so much. But for now, he would act the part and endure the company of this lot.

"Ladies," he greeted them. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company this evening?"

A chorus of tittering giggles answered his question, and Sephiroth resisted a sigh of irritation. Tonight was going to be a true test of his patience. He almost envied Zack and his friends their relative anonymity.

"We saw you enter the club and wanted to offer our thanks for saving Junon," the boldest of the group said. Her smile fell somewhere between seductive and nervous as she added, " _Personally_."

 _Inexperienced, just as I thought._ Sephiroth glanced at his friends to judge their interest. No sense inviting the fangirls to stay if neither of them found their naïveté appealing. Angeal wouldn't, naturally. Genesis, on the other hand…one look at his welcoming smile pretty much said it all. _I hope you're grateful for what I'm about to do for you, friend._

"In that case, it would be rude of us not to accept. Please join us."

More giggles. He pretended they didn't grate on his nerves as the girls occupied the formerly empty seats in their booth. The one who'd spoken sided up next to Sephiroth, while the other three found places next to Genesis and Angeal. To the one who had been stuck with the latter, he wished her luck. Dry speeches about SOLDIER honor would be about the most she'd get out of the evening.

Their drinks and meals arrived shortly thereafter. Genesis ordered a round of cocktails for their female guests, playing up the role of host to the hilt. He was quite happy to be the center of their fawning attention. And since the ladies were likewise entertained, Angeal leaned in close.

"While I don't approve of any of this…" he began in a low murmur.

"You'd rather he's playing the fangirl field over the alternative," Sephiroth finished for him. "The lesser of two evils, yes?"

Angeal sighed heavily.

"Yes."

"My thoughts as well, my friend, and so I've seen to providing a solution to the problem. Although I very much doubt you had any cause to worry about Lilith even if I hadn't. She's not his type."

"Be serious. We're talking about Genesis- _every_ woman is his type."

Which was true, but their friend tended to prefer the ones who didn't pose a challenge. And since this morning's briefing, Sephiroth had revised his impression of Lilith's character. And while he hadn't entirely dismissed his theory about why she joined SOLDIER, he didn't see her accepting just any invitation, either. Far too much work.

 _Perhaps for Genesis,_ he mused absently. As the overeager fangirl on his right pressed herself to his side in an effort to show off her cleavage, Sephiroth could do with a woman who might actually challenge his intellect. But he caught himself before taking that thought too seriously. _As Angeal said, that's not a wise path to take._

His friend was still waiting on an answer. Sephiroth merely shrugged.

"It's a moot point now. So why worry?"

* * *

"To a job well done," Luxiere announced over the music, raising his glass. "And the free food and booze that go along with it!"

I joined my friends in their good-natured laughter at his enthusiasm. Surprisingly, I was having a decent time. Hadn't expected to, really. But things looked to be going our way when the four of us snagged a separate booth.

 _A good thing, too, since I doubt there would have been any room left for those women who appeared out of nowhere._

The tone of those thoughts bordered on sarcastic, and I had to remind myself that I had no cause to judge. If their choice of companions leaned heavily on the side of beautiful and appallingly vapid, what did that have to do with me? Not a damn thing. Just convinced me all the more that I wouldn't want anything to do with them.

I pushed my plate aside, unable to eat any more. Zack seemed to be eyeing the last slices of beef, so I gestured to it with a chuckle.

"You're welcome to whatever's left, 'cause I'm done. Someone might as well eat it."

He didn't need a second invitation, and in seconds had devoured what remained of my meal. Males. All of them bottomless pits when it came to food. And drinks. Kunsel caught the attention of one of our dedicated waitresses, who scurried over to the table. He tapped the lacquered surface in front of each of us.

"Another round, darlin', if you please."

"None for…" I protested, but she was already gone before I could finish. "Me."

"Relax, Lilith. The city's paying, so why not make the most of it?"

"I really didn't need another drink. This one's not even half empty."

"A perfect excuse for you to finish it, then."

Fortunately, Zack came to my rescue against Kunsel's suggestion. He shook his head at our friend, and smiled apologetically at me.

"You'll have to forgive our friend. He seems to think everyone should be as big a lush as himself. And don't worry about the drink. We'll be here a while, so I'm sure it'll be put to good use."

The music had picked up again, so I merely nodded in reply. A club sure wasn't the place for conversation. Nor did I expect it to be. My gaze shifted to the lively dancefloor below, watching men and women having a good time. They laughed boisterously, swaying in time with the music's fast-paced rhythm. Zack must have noticed where my attention had fallen.

"You want to dance?"

"Oh I dunno about…I mean, I was just watching…"

"Watching isn't any good," Luxiere chimed in. "You've gotta go out there and live it up yourself."

I couldn't possibly go out there. With all those other people. Looking at me. I'd never gone dancing before, and could just picture a hundred different ways I might embarrass myself. So, desperate for some reason to keep me from turning even one of them into reality, I racked my brain for an excuse.

"But my, um, leg," I managed to stammer at last. "Yeah, I don't think it'd be up for that sort of thing."

Not a single one of them bought it.

"Nope, that's not good enough," Zack insisted, grabbing my hand. "C'mon, Lilith, let's go."

I wasn't given much of a choice if I didn't want my shoulder wrenched from its socket. So I allowed him to lead us on a winding path through the dimly lit tables surrounding the central floor. As we drew closer, the decibel level of the music rose in my ears. I wasn't just hearing it anymore; the underlying beat throbbed in tandem with my own heart.

At the very edge of the dancefloor, I tried one last time to change his mind. To no avail. Zack claimed a spot on its crowded tiles and before I knew it, I found myself right there with him. Perhaps it was the alcohol- or just that for _one_ night I dared to ignore that voice in my head- but my inhibitions melted away.

I danced.

Danced as if I didn't care that I might possibly make a fool of myself. As if I were just as sophisticated and chic as the people around me. Smiling and laughing under the dazzling lights bathing me and my fellow party-goers in kaleidoscopic rainbows. First with Zack, then at some point Kunsel and Luxiere cut in- even a few random people I didn't know there towards the end.

I was about to wonder where my friends had gone when I saw them occupied with a few ladies a half dozen steps away. A little familiar. I pushed a strand of hair from my eyes to get a better look before my current dance partner spun us around. They might have been two of the women I'd seen in the booth with Sephiroth. Strange.

The music changed, and I let go of my dance partner. Another looked as if he were going to offer for the next dance, but changed his mind. I really didn't mind, feeling somewhat dizzy. _Might be a good time to take a break._ With a quick glance left and right, I oriented myself in order to find my way off the dancefloor.

Only when I turned around, I nearly collided into Genesis, who'd been standing right behind me. He held out his hand with a mischievous smile.

"You appear to be having a good time, my lady. You wouldn't deny me the opportunity to join you?"


	6. Chapter 6: Signals

"So you're in SOLDIER, too?" a svelte brunette shouted over the music as she slid an assessing glance over him. "You and your two friends?"

Kunsel glanced over at Luxiere and Zack, not quite sure what to make of the situation. The three of them had been having a good time getting Lilith out of her shell, when these ladies appeared. Swooped in with the predatory strike of hawks. Hawks wearing revealing dresses, ridiculously high heels and layers of cosmetics. So what did these girls want with them?

 _I guess I should answer,_ he thought with a sigh. _Maybe if I hint that we're not so illustrious as they might have assumed, they'll move along._ It looked to him as if Zack and Luxiere found the attention just as nauseating, so they likely wouldn't mind him giving them the brush off.

"We are. SOLDIERs 2nd Class, all of us."

 _There. That ought to be blunt enough._ But apparently, it wasn't; the fangirls only drew closer.

"How _exciting_ ," the brunette replied flirtatiously. She laid a hand on his forearm and giggled, "I'm Danita, and I've never danced with a _SOLDIER_ before."

 _Oh lucky me._

"Well, actually, we were here with our friend…"

"Oh but we _insist_. My friends and I want to repay the brave men who saved us from that terrible monster."

He wasn't given time to protest. Danita wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. Kunsel couldn't back away without bumping into the other dancers around them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his two friends were likewise ensnared. Whoever these girls were, they were certainly intent on their mission.

Fangirls came with the territory, though. Even if he'd never really experienced it on this level before. Supposing that just one dance wouldn't kill him- although if she giggled again, it might- Kunsel did not resist or put up an argument. Fortunately, Danita seemed not to care that her partner wasn't as enthusiastic as she was.

All the while they were dancing, he tried to catch sight of what had become of the fourth member of their group. He hoped that Lilith hadn't gone back to the booth when these girls showed up. If she had, Kunsel doubted they'd get her out here again. But with the chaos on the dancefloor, locating her was next to impossible. Maybe once or twice he caught a glimpse of a woman in a grey dress, but she vanished too quickly for him to be sure.

Zack was equally preoccupied, clearly not focused at all on the blonde woman who'd claimed him as her dance partner. Not for lack of trying on her part, though. But no amount of provocative gyrating could compete against his friend's search for Lilith's whereabouts. Ever the self-appointed older brother, looking out for his little sister.

And even without that distraction, this girl was wasting her time with him; Zack's heart belonged to someone else. Life as a Shinra SOLDIER didn't make it easy to be with her, but he wasn't the kind of man to play around with other women just because they were more convenient. Honorable ideas like that were what had drawn him to Angeal's attention.

The song ended, and in the break before the next one started, Kunsel used the opportunity to free himself from Danita. Luxiere happened to be right next to him, and leaned over to make an observation.

"Hey, aren't these the same girls who were in the booth with Genesis and Sephiroth earlier?"

Now that he thought about it, they were. Kunsel hadn't noticed that when they'd come over to dance, but his friend's question jogged his memory. He wished that he'd recognized them sooner, although Kunsel didn't know what good it would have done him. Well, any of them.

Suspicion gnawed at the back of his mind, and he once more sought out Lilith in the crowd. Danita pouted at his lack of attention.

"You're being rude," she complained sulkily. "He didn't tell me you'd be so rude."

That drew his notice, and Kunsel turned a sharp look on the girl as he demanded, "He _who_?"

"Your friend- Genesis. Me and Karin wanted to dance with him, but he said he had to meet someone. He said you and your friends wouldn't mind keeping us company instead."

Kunsel was well and truly alarmed now. Genesis _never_ threw away a sure thing with a woman, much less pawned her off to another guy. If anything, he was the one using his wit and good looks to _steal_ women from his rivals. So why had he been so quick to discard these ladies?

That question had no sooner surfaced when he spotted Genesis from across the dancefloor. Playing the part of the dashing lothario, as usual. And then one of the other partiers moved, giving Kunsel a clear line of sight to the woman opposite him. A grey dress. Auburn hair.

 _No,_ he protested inwardly. _Not Lilith- Genesis, you rat-bastard, what are you doing?_ Kunsel motioned for Zack's attention, and his friend maneuvered his way over to him.

"What?"

"Just look," he said, pointing at the couple. "See for yourself."

Zack spun on his heel just as Genesis offered his hand to their friend. He swore under his breath.

"I knew it. Before we even left the hotel lobby. I just knew he'd try something. Come on, guys, let's go."

And Kunsel wanted nothing better than to foil Genesis' plans, but forced himself to look at the situation from a logical perspective. What would Lilith say if the three of them rushed over there, butting into her business? What would _he_ say if someone did the same to him? A few choice words came to mind.

So while he didn't like what he saw happening, Kunsel laid a restraining hand on his friend's shoulder. Zack threw him an impatient look.

"What's the problem now?"

"We can't just go over there, Zack."

"Yeah, we can," he argued, shrugging Kunsel's hand away. "She needs our help."

"He's just offering to partner for a dance, man. Just like the other guys who wanted to dance with her tonight. And I didn't see you stopping any of them."

"But it's not just a dance when we're talking about Genesis. You know as well as I do what he'll want next."

"Yeah, I do." _As if I needed you to remind me._

"So let's _go_."

"Zack, we can't decide for Lilith what she wants. If she wants to dance with him- or do anything _else_ with him- it's not our right to interfere."

"But…she's-"

"Capable of handling her own personal life." Kunsel cast a bleak look in Lilith's direction. "Unless it's obvious she needs our help, we have to stay out of this."

While he accepted the truth of that answer, Zack was not at all pleased by it. The way Kunsel saw it, only the barest respect for Lilith's privacy kept his friend in check. Crossing his arms with an impressive frown, the 2nd Class continued to stare daggers at Genesis.

"The first sign he's pressuring her and I'll pound him into the ground- Angeal's lectures on decorum be damned."

No one said anything to that. Couldn't argue with the sentiment, since Kunsel felt the same way, and likely so did Luxiere. He just really hoped it wouldn't come to a physical fight. Not to mention the lecture from Angeal that would surely follow. Far from the most auspicious means of ending what had been a successful mission.

A tug at his arm brought him back to the present. Danita. She and the other girls hovered expectantly at their elbows, despite the obvious lack of interest from Kunsel and his two friends. Persistence. He could not deny that these fangirls embodied the word. Would that Genesis had been content enough with them instead of moving in on Lilith.

At that same moment, Danita darted a calculating look across the dancefloor and then back to him. She smiled.

"A rivalry between friends," the girl queried knowingly.

"No, I don't- I mean, she's just…" Kunsel stammered over his answer and prayed he wasn't blushing. "Lilith is just a friend."

"Hmmm," Danita purred almost laughingly, unconvinced by his panicked explanation.

Even worse, now Luxiere and Zack were studying him curiously. They might have said something, but he glared at his friends warningly. The brunette woman before him was not so easily intimidated, however. Her smile widened, and she winked at him.

"Well, sweetie, it would seem your _friend_ has plans with someone else for the evening, and I don't mind providing you with a little _consolation_."

"I don't need consoling," he protested. "I really don't."

"Oh of _course_ not." A new song flooded the dancefloor with frenzied energy, and Danita snatched him up again. Whispering throatily in his ear, she crooned, "Why don't you and me dance, anyway, SOLDIER boy. Play your cards right and maybe we'll do a whole lot more."

* * *

I stared at his hand for a minute or two, knowing that to take it was inviting the potential for trouble. Something I really couldn't afford. But declining wasn't so easily done. I really didn't know how to do that without him taking it as an insult. Couldn't afford _that_ , either. Genesis must have sensed my indecision.

"Oh c'mon," he bade me in a coaxing tone. "You're not going to hold a grudge over this morning, are you?"

"It's not…"

"I'll even apologize. So what do you say?"

 _You should say no,_ I told myself. _You should tell him that you were headed back to the booth and hadn't planned on another dance._ But when I opened my mouth to reply, a different set of words escaped, completely unbidden.

"All right."

"Music to my ears," Genesis replied with a triumphant smile. The next thing I knew, he'd swept me up close. "Shall we?"

For a SOLDIER trained to be one of Shinra's elite weapons, the man certainly knew how to dance. Then again, he got plenty of practice on his legendary escapades with fangirls. From the covert glances around us, the nightclub's upscale clientele were speculating that I was seeking to join that list. But I could deal with a bit of rumor- just so long as _Genesis_ didn't make the same assumption.

I refused to let those thoughts ruin the evening, telling myself that having a good time was the point of coming tonight. And so what if that included dancing with Genesis for a little while? Maybe afterwards, the two of us could put our enmity behind us.

I wouldn't deceive myself by thinking we could ever be friends. Even if the rank difference weren't an issue, I knew our personalities wouldn't mix well. Nights like this were fun, but I still preferred a quieter life; friendship with Zack and the others was about as much excitement as I could handle.

Speaking of excitement- the tempo of the music sped up almost too much for me to keep a pace with it. He didn't seem to mind the occasional lapses, though, laughing along with me as we crisscrossed the dancefloor. And when the final beats played themselves out, I nearly collapsed, more exhausted than after a few rounds of training practice.

Genesis caught me at the elbow before my knees buckled, keeping me upright. He didn't let go once I'd regained my balance, and I tilted a quizzical glance up to him.

"Thanks- I think I'm fine now."

"Well enough for another try?"

I shook my head this time, and told him, "Oh I don't think I could. Best if I sit the next few out and get a bit of a rest."

 _And better yet if I could find any of the guys to tell them of my plan._

I scanned the crowd, but saw none of them among those waiting for the music to begin again. I didn't want to just walk off; Kunsel or Zack might worry if I disappeared. Then again, I couldn't stick around and get caught up in another round of dancing. So I guessed if any of the guys noticed I'd gone, they'd think to check back at the table before losing their heads.

"I had fun, though," I added aloud to Genesis, making ready for my exit. "Thanks for asking me."

"You're very welcome," he answered, winking. "Always a pleasure to dance with a pretty lady."

"Um…sure. Anyway, I should be…"

"Going, yes, so you said. But what ever shall I do if I let you get away now? Stay and dance with me, Lilith."

 _Uh oh._ I had to derail this conversation right now. Or at least redirect it to someone else. Time to throw this ticking bomb on a woman who might actually _want_ it. I spotted more than a few nearby that might do, all of them watching our conversation with envious expressions. _Perfect. You want him? He's all yours._

"Seems like a busy night for the club," I nodded slightly towards a group of ladies on our left. "So I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding others who will partner you just as well- or better, even."

I shuffled a half-step towards the edge of the dancefloor. He did the same, still not releasing my arm. _Okay, now what do I do?_ The time might have come for a more direct refusal, and I sighed inwardly as I prepared for the potential backlash.

"Look, Mr.-"

" _Genesis_ ," he interrupted me. "Maybe Angeal is all hung up on rank and whatever, but I'm a bit more practical."

 _Dammit_.

"I really can't."

"Can't what? Stay and dance- or call me by my name?"

 _Either,_ I admitted silently. But to him, I chose the path of lesser peril, and said, "Stay. I only meant to come out here for a little bit, what with the injury from this morning's battle."

The excuse seemed to work, and Genesis let the subject of names drop. He grinned apologetically, though I wasn't quite sure I trusted the slight twinkle of mischief in his eye.

"Forgive me for not having remembered. The healer did such an excellent job that I'd completely forgotten."

"Yes, she did, but I still think it's best not to overdo it."

"Of course." Now he ushered us through the throng of dancers; the music had already begun to play again. "I'll see you back to the table."

"Wouldn't you rather be dancing with…?"

"The evening's early yet. Plenty of time."

"You don't really have to-" _and I'd rather you didn't._

"I absolutely do," he countered. "A place like this can be dangerous for a lady alone. Even one who can bring down an Oceanus."

Dangerous indeed. Although, I was pretty damn certain that I would be safer making this journey on my own right now. But I couldn't say that to him without precipitating a scene. So I was stuck. Stuck letting him escort me through the shadowy nightclub and back to the private booths.

 _It'll be fine,_ I assured myself as we arrived. Both of the tables were empty. Zack and the others were likely still dancing. Even Sephiroth and Angeal must have gone to explore the nightclub's entertainment. As I slid into the booth, I tried not to feel some trepidation and repeated positive thoughts. _It'll be fine. He's sure to get bored and leave, anyway._

"Well, I'm here, and you'll want to get back out to the dancefloor, so…"

Ignoring my attempt to send him away, Genesis chose to slide in next to me. A little closer than I cared for him to be.

"What, and leave you all by yourself? Wouldn't dream of it."

"I don't mind, really. Actually, I'm quite used to being on my own."

One of the waitresses swept over, eyeing the two of us for a moment or two before offering to get anything we might want. I was about to shake my head when Genesis answered for us.

"Red wine- a decent one, mind you. And two glasses."

"But-"

He turned to me, raising an eyebrow in query as he asked, "Or would you prefer a white?"

"No, I-"

"Red it is, then," he told the waitress.

 _How women put up with this sort of thing day in and day out is beyond me,_ I mused wryly. _I'm exhausted, and all he's doing is a little empty flirting. Hate to think what Genesis would be like when he's actually serious._

A few seconds ticked by in silence. I wasn't quite sure what to say, never having been gifted with a knack for small talk. My gaze flickered about the low-lit room, praying for a sign that my friends might be returning. No such luck. Reluctantly, I brought my attention back to the man sitting in the booth next to me. He leaned against the plush leather backing and smiled.

"So, while we wait- why _do_ you spend so much time alone?"

"I like to have more time to train." The safest answer of the many I could have given. And one designed speed up how quickly Genesis grew bored with our conversation. "Practice rooms tend to be full during the day, so it's easier to find time after-hours."

"Seriously? Lilith, you can't train all the time."

 _Now where have I heard_ that _before?_ Only yesterday, Kunsel had said the same thing. I shrugged and answered the only way I could.

"I don't see any other way to improve other than commit to practicing. As often as I can."

The waitress arrived with the wine in the pause before his reply. She poured a glass for each of us and left the bottle on the table. With a curtsy, she scurried away again. When I made no move to touch the one meant for me, Genesis picked it up and held it out expectantly.

I accepted it, but vowed that this would be the only one I'd consume no matter what. Genesis took it as a sign of victory on his part, and saluted with his own glass before taking a drink. I sipped mine cautiously. Good thing I did, too, because the vintage proved to be quite strong.

"Now then," he began again. "It's admirable that you want to improve your skills. Really. And the work shows in the way you handled the Oceanus."

"That so," I replied, somewhat wary of his sudden praise.

"Absolutely. You know," he paused to take another drink. "When I saw you in the briefing room this morning, I fully expected you'd run when faced with a real battle."

"I'd _never_ do that."

"You're right. You certainly proved that point."

I wasn't sure how to take that comment. Did he mean to compliment me- or was it some subtle means of finding fault with me? Like the mayor earlier, telling me that I shouldn't be working in such a dangerous profession. To stall for time before making any reply to it, I allowed myself another sip from my wineglass. Genesis, meanwhile, had nearly finished his glass.

"You're a far better fighter in battle than I supposed," he continued while pouring himself another measure of wine from the bottle. "But perhaps not quite as comfortable when it comes to _social_ engagements, yes?"

My grip on the stem of my glass tightened involuntarily, mimicking the way my throat constricted in alarm. I did not like at all the swift directional change in our conversation- mostly because Genesis had guessed correctly. For almost as long as I'd worked for Shinra, everyone assumed I didn't go out because I didn't enjoy it. I was happy to let that opinion stand.

But now…if Genesis started spreading this new theory around… _I won't be able to hide anymore. Everyone will know the truth._ I couldn't let that happen. So what could I do? The idea of pretending to be something I wasn't felt very wrong. Not only that, but could create an even bigger problem if Genesis took the act as an invitation. _So what do I do?_

"And for once, the lady has been rendered speechless. So it would seem my theory struck true."

"Uncomfortable isn't perhaps the word I would choose," I murmured against the rim of my wineglass.

"So tell me then, what one _would_ you choose instead?"

"Socializing just isn't a priority for me."

"Now that," Genesis shifted a little closer, looping one arm around behind me. "Is a travesty- and one deserving of serious attention."

Alarm bells rang in my ears and my heart leapt into my throat. I had erred in thinking that his interest had been mere curiosity, and would fade quickly when Genesis realized a dress didn't change who I was underneath. A tactical mistake; he seemed more intent now than he had on the dancefloor.

"As it so happens, I excel in this particular subject. What say you let a master show you what you've been missing?"

Fingertips brushed my shoulder in a practiced caress. I jolted and tried to duck away, but had nowhere to go- trapped in the corner of the booth. With everyone on the dancefloor enjoying the music, I was essentially alone. So very, very alone.

"I-I…I don't think this is a good idea, Mr.-"

"Tsk, tsk. I thought we'd agreed to keep things on a first name basis, Lilith."

"That's not- I mean- I don't think that…you…and me…it's just not smart to…"

"Smart? No, I'm sure my two friends- and yours- would agree with you there." His fingertips traced upwards to sift through the hair curling at the base of my neck. When I made as if to protest, Genesis pressed on. "But you said you had fun dancing, didn't you? What's so wrong with having a little fun now and then? And I guarantee I can show you a damn good time."

How many women had heard that speech before? Heard it and were ultimately swayed by it. Scores of them, I bet. I was determined not to be one of them. Genesis expected me to give in. I could see that confidence in his expression and in his posture. And something about both stirred my temper.

I grabbed at that anger with both hands and used it to fight back against the unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. First things first. I plucked Genesis' hand away, frowning at him. In return, the tiniest hint of amused condescension played over his lips.

"What?"

"You're not listening," I insisted in heated frustration. "I'm not in the market for a good time."

"Could have fooled me," he replied with an indolent shrug. "Can't blame a guy for answering an advertisement."

"I wasn't advertising anything."

Genesis passed a long, appraising look over me. He didn't need to say a word; the smirk on his face said it all. I set my glass on the table- so damn near close to flinging its contents at him that I had to rid myself of the temptation.

"How _dare_ you!"

"Such a poor sport you are when your game is found out, Lilith."

"Game? What _game_? I'm not playing at anything."

"Show up in a cute little dress and make a good show of yourself on the dancefloor. You _wanted_ to be noticed." He reached forward, but I batted his hand away. "What, did you have your eye on one of those puppies instead? Fair is spoken for, but Kunsel, perhaps?"

"I'm not interested in anyone. Not them. Not you. So I'll thank you to leave me alone!"

Genesis had leaned back just far enough that I could escape the booth. I scrambled to my feet before he could trap me in again, and started to walk away. Didn't care where I went, so long as I got clear from that conceited jerk. But I had only gone a few steps when he circled around to block my path.

"Get out of my way," I told him flatly.

"I thought you said you wouldn't run away from a fight."

"This isn't a fight and I am not running away."

"Sure you are."

He snaked an arm around my waist, far too quickly for me to do anything more than bring my hands between us in an attempt to push him away. Attempted, but with little success.

"Let me go. I want you to let me go."

"No you don't," Genesis insisted with a knowing smile. "I'll bet you've been waiting for a chance like this to come your way since you joined Shinra. Wish granted, Lilith, so don't be so shy now."

"No. Do you hear me? No! Now let me go!"

I shoved him. Hard. And when Genesis tried to reach for me again, I reacted without thinking. My open-handed palm crossed his left cheek with a horrendous smack, leaving a red handprint in its wake. He glared at me, fuming. Good. I glared right back.

"You'll regret having done that," he threatened ominously. "More than you can ever imagine."

I said nothing, turned, and stalked away.


	7. Chapter 7: Plans Unraveled

"But…surely you can't be serious."

"I was serious the last three times I said it," Zack told the blonde woman tugging at his sleeve. "I don't know what Genesis told you, but we're not interested in company for the evening."

 _Certainly not_ yours _, anyway,_ he added silently.

Maybe if circumstances were different, he wouldn't be so annoyed. He could laugh at the woman's tenacity, have some fun dancing with her, and then part company when the night was over. It'd make for a good story to tell their friends at Shinra Headquarters.

But worry about what Genesis might be planning with Lilith didn't put Zack in the mood to take any of this lightly. He still thought they should've gone over to chase him off, but hadn't been able to counter Kunsel's point. She had the right to choose her path.

Thing was, Genesis had a way of steering events in his favor. And sometimes a lady might _think_ she'd made a choice, when really she'd only selected one of the outcomes he laid out beforehand. Refusing his advances usually wasn't among them. Not generally an issue with fangirls, as their sole aim was to hook up.

Lilith had no interest in any of that. _Or at least I didn't_ think _so._ Seeing her accept Genesis' offer to dance made him question if he'd assumed wrong. Apparently, he hadn't been the only one. But Kunsel's reaction- to Danita's observation in particular- suggested that perhaps his friend had been hoping to change Lilith's mind himself.

 _Never said a word to any of us. Maybe if you had, my friend…_ but the what if's and maybe's didn't really matter much now. Still, maybe all hope wasn't lost. Just because Lilith had accepted a dance from Genesis, that didn't mean she wanted anything more. _Bringing me right back to what's been worrying me in the first place._

"Well," Karin huffed, tossing her blonde hair of her shoulder in a fit of pique. "I can see we've wasted our time _here_. Ungrateful- the lot of you."

"Come on girls," Danita chimed in haughtily. "Let's go find men who know how to appreciate ladies like us."

The three girls sashayed across the dancefloor, all the while glancing behind them. No doubt expecting to be called back in a show of panicked remorse. Neither Zack nor the others with him gave even the slightest impression they were sorry to see the girls leave. And once were they alone Kunsel voiced what was foremost on all of their minds.

"Has anyone seen Lilith?"

"Not since she took up with Genesis," Luxiere answered. "And that was over a half hour ago. What about you, Zack?"

"The same. This crowd's clearing out, looks like, since the band is going on break. Maybe we'll see the two of them heading for the table."

But as the couples thinned out, Zack's hopes fell. No sign of Lilith or Genesis among the stragglers; they must have left the dancefloor already. Questions was- how long ago? And just where were they now?

"I suppose we might as well return to the table," Luxiere suggested with a half-hearted shrug. "Nothing we can do from out here."

"Yeah, might as well," Kunsel agreed grimly.

Navigating to their reserved booths was a time-consuming affair. Boisterous groups of nightclub patrons clogged the aisles, spending equally as much time drinking and laughing. Despite the loss of the live music, the noise level was still impressive. Just as well. Zack didn't feel much like talking.

When they finally arrived, both tables were empty. He spied an opened bottle of wine and two glasses sitting on theirs- obviously abandoned. A pit of dread formed in his gut. Kunsel and Luxiere must have felt it, too. The former stared hard at the picture before them, jaw clenched tightly.

"That's it, then," Luxiere sighed. "If they aren't already back at the hotel, it's just a matter of time. Thought Lilith was smarter than this, you know?"

Zack elbowed him sharply in the side.

"Geez. What was that for, man?"

He didn't answer, merely nodding towards Kunsel. His friend craned his neck, and scratched the back of his head, still perplexed.

"I don't get it."

"Just shut up for once. You're really not helping the situation."

"Helping _what_ situation," asked Sephiroth from behind them.

The three of them spun around to see both Sephiroth and Angeal standing nearby. _Oh now we're in for it._ He had no idea how long they'd been there, or how much they'd heard of the conversation. But he figured he should just tell them what happened. Holding back would be pointless; Genesis would brag about it all day tomorrow, anyway.

"And why isn't Lilith with you," Angeal wanted to know, gaze directed squarely upon Zack.

 _Just as well, since I don't think Kunsel has the stomach to answer any questions right now._

"We got separated on the dancefloor."

"No one is dancing now- so why didn't she return with you?"

"She, uh, came back to the booth with someone else." He paused before adding quietly, "With Genesis."

A long silence followed that announcement. The pair of 1st Classes shared a glance both uneasy and disapproving. In the end, Sephiroth picked up the interrogation where Angeal had left off.

"How long ago?"

"Half hour- maybe longer. The last any of us saw of either, they were dancing. But at some point, they must have come back here." Zack pointed to the wine. "None of us ordered that before we left the table."

"How did something like this happen," Angeal wanted to know. He turned to Sephiroth. "I told him, didn't I? You heard me tell him."

"Obviously, Genesis chose to ignore you."

"And now the two of them are gone."

"Which I'm sure was by design. But I'm not sure what you expect to do about it, since they are- as you said- gone. We don't even know when they left."

While the two discussed the matter between themselves, Zack noticed one of the waitresses hovering nearby. She appeared to be following the conversation intently, concern written plainly on her face. He motioned for her to approach.

"You wouldn't happen to have seen a woman in a grey dress return to this booth, would you? With a brown-haired man?"

The woman nodded.

"Twenty minutes ago. He ordered the wine, but…"

"What?"

"I don't think she really wanted any. It seemed like the lady just wanted the gentleman to leave."

"And did he?"

"The _gentleman_ ," she replied in thinly veiled contempt, "Had other plans."

"Such as?"

That question from Sephiroth, who had cut his discussion with Angeal abruptly short in order to redirect his attention to them. The waitress was noticeably intimidated by the tone of his voice. Or perhaps his expression. Or both. Zack didn't blame her, given that neither bespoke a congenial mood.

 _Actually, he looks downright angry. But at whom?_ The answer to that question was anyone's guess. In any case, Angeal must have realized the effect that anger was having on the young woman, and took pity on her.

"Please, miss, speak freely if you know something. We're just looking for answers to what happened- regardless of what they might be."

"Well," she began with a nervous glance to Sephiroth. "I couldn't hear everything from where I stood, but…"

"Go on."

"He made a point of crowding the lady at the table any time she tried to put space between them. I heard her say she wasn't interested- several times."

"What was Genesis' answer to that?"

"Said her dress told a different story and insisted he would change her mind."

Zack ground his molars with the effort of holding in a string of virulent curses. He dared not look over at Kunsel to see how he fared in reaction to hearing the story. No doubt he was blaming himself for not having prevented any of this when they'd had a chance. Lilith's wrath seemed a small price to pay in retrospect.

Before Angeal could prompt the waitress for more details, Sephiroth queried, "Did he?"

"I believe he truly thought he would. But no. The lady only grew more agitated and the two of them argued in the booth. That's when she left the table."

"Alone?"

"The gentleman followed her. She argued with him again when he wouldn't let her go, and I was about to find the club manager when the lady struck him."

Silence. Or would have been if Luxiere had been able to contain himself.

"Lilith _hit_ Genesis?"

She nodded, saying, "He was as surprised as you, and not at all pleased."

"And," Sephiroth wanted to know.

"Oh. Well, I only saw her walk away from him after that. A group of other guests blocked my view, and once they'd cleared away, both the lady and gentleman were gone. I'm sorry, but that's all I can tell you."

Angeal tried to smile. Admirable, given that the present circumstances were anything but cheerful. He thanked her for the help, and waited until she'd left before discussing their next steps.

"Assuming the waitress hasn't misinterpreted the events- and I'm convinced the exchange happened as she said- all this must have occurred maybe ten or fifteen minutes ago."

"So you think there's a chance we might still find one or both of them in the club," Sephiroth inferred.

"A small one, but yes, I do."

"Are you suggesting that we search for them, then?"

"Preferably before the situation becomes worse than it already is." Angeal leveled a grim look at Zack. "You three take center part of the room- sweep every group between here and the dancefloor. Sephiroth and I will see to the smaller alcoves and any side rooms."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Of all the courses Sephiroth imagined this evening could take, scouring the nightclub's fringes for his friend with the over-active libido was not among his top choices. Quite possibly the least of them, actually.

 _That womanizing jackass,_ he growled in annoyance. _He couldn't leave well enough alone. Just had to ignore every sensible option in favor of…what exactly was Genesis trying to prove by pursuing Lilith?_

Proved Sephiroth wrong, for starters. And having underestimated the seriousness of Genesis' interest, he felt partially responsible for the disaster. It hadn't been enough to provide his friend with those noxious fangirls. Apparently, he'd needed to keep a constant watch on Genesis to ensure he _remained_ with them.

 _And speaking of fangirls…I think I see them now._

The three women had situated themselves in the midst of a large group of young, wealthy men, who were content to fawn over them. Sephiroth debated the value of interrupting the nauseating scene to question the ladies about his friend. He was about to dismiss the idea when the leader spotted him, and broke away from her rapt audience.

 _I guess that makes my decision for me, doesn't it?_

The brunette- whose name he'd already forgotten- strolled up to him, and planted her hands on her hips in an obvious show of pique.

"What do _you_ want," she demanded. "Because me and my friends are no longer interested."

Those might be her words, but the look in her eyes belied them. If Sephiroth so much as beckoned, the woman- and likely her two friends- would desert their current court of would-be suitors without a backward glance. So with that in mind, he chose his reply carefully.

"My Lady, such hard feelings you express. I'm truly at a loss at what could have caused them. I had expected to find you engaged with my friend, and was merely surprised that he is nowhere to be seen."

"You could say that again," she answered with a sharp laugh. "That friend of yours- Genesis, right?- was quick to get rid of us the moment you and the black-haired, quiet one left the booth."

"And for that I am truly sorry," Sephiroth said, feigning an apology. Well, he _was_ sorry…just not on _their_ behalf. "I can't imagine why he would turn down fine ladies like yourselves."

Again the brunette laughed as she told him, "Because he was more interested in stealing the woman one of your other friends wanted. And got us to help him do it, too."

"I beg your pardon?"

"He thought he was so clever- sending us over there with a story about how his three 'friends' were new to SOLDIER and that they'd be grateful for our attention."

 _Well, I guess that explains how Fair and the others were separated from Lilith on the dancefloor,_ he mused. _Strange that none of them mentioned the details when recounting the events._

"And were they?"

"Far from it. Not one of them paid us any attention, much less offered the _tiniest_ compliment or show of appreciation. We barely got a dance out of them, and then they saw that Genesis guy with some _other_ woman. Threw them all into quite the state. I knew then what was going on."

The picture was becoming clearer, and Sephiroth grew only angrier with Genesis for his scheming behavior. All the years they'd been friends, he'd never suspected him to do something so underhanded. Reality had come as quite a disillusionment, and again, Sephiroth wondered what could have spurred his friend to cross this particular line.

"I see. Well, again, I offer my apologies for the dishonorable treatment you received from my colleague. Hopefully, you won't let tonight's mishap leave you with an unfavorable opinion of SOLDIER as a whole."

Not surprisingly, the brunette was easily swayed by his flattery and smooth manners. By the time he'd finished speaking she was practically melting at his feet in forgiveness.

"No no," she protested quickly. "And I'm sorry for my rudeness to you a moment ago."

"I understand- you were upset."

"But it wasn't your fault."

 _Wasn't it?_

"Nevertheless, as I'm sure Genesis won't be offering an apology, I feel it my duty to do so on his behalf. I wish you ladies a good evening."

With that, Sephiroth turned on his heel and continued in his search of the nightclub. Now more than before he was impatient to find Genesis; and even more convinced that he wouldn't. If his friend had been willing to set up the diversion with the fangirls to get Lilith, he might not have let a slap in the face deter him, either.

His eyes roved every corner of the room, careful not to miss a single face in the crowd. No sign of Genesis. None at all. Sephiroth sighed, ready to call the search a failure. A familiar laugh off to his right caught his attention. He glided through the throng to find Genesis ensconced at a corner booth, a giggling raven-haired woman sitting on his lap.

For a moment, his friend was blissfully unaware of Sephiroth's presence, and continued his antics of having a merry time coaxing the neophyte to take a sip from his glass. Every time she'd reach for it, he'd jerk the cup away so she'd collapse into him. Sephiroth watched the scene, not the least bit amused.

The woman noticed him first, shrinking against Genesis with a surprised gasp. Her reaction was enough to give him reason to look up to see what had startled her. His friend tried to maintain a carefree attitude, but when he saluted his glass, a slight wobble betrayed the apprehension the man was trying to hide.

"Sephiroth, my friend," Genesis called loudly. "I want to introduce you to this lovely lady I just met." He turned to the young lady, "Ana- this is my good friend, Sephiroth."

Sensing tension, she did no more than nod with a tight smile. Sephiroth had no quarrel with her, and offered a polite nod in return. As kindly as he could, he said to her, "If you'll excuse us, Ana, I have some business with Genesis that I wish to discuss with him. _Alone_."

Sufficiently intimidated, she vacated her seat and scurried away. Genesis stared after her hasty retreat for a second or two, obviously trying to forestall their discussion; Sephiroth merely waited, silent. At last, his friend capitulated, settling back in the booth with a sullen frown.

"That's the last I'll see of her, no thanks to you," he complained. "What's your problem, anyway?"

" _My_ problem," Sephiroth repeated incredulously. "Are you serious?"

Genesis shrugged, but made no reply.

"Where should I even begin? I could start with the fangirls from the booth earlier- whom _you_ sent over to Fair and his friends to keep them distracted."

Yet again, no response.

"No? Maybe a better place might be that despite all warnings and advice to the contrary, you persisted with your idiotic idea of a conquest with Lilith."

When Genesis still didn't answer, Sephiroth nearly lost what remained of his temper. He approached the table and leaned forward to place his palms flat on its surface. Now eye level with his friend, he offered one last chance for him to speak to his defense.

"Or should we just get to the worst of what I've heard this evening, and ask about what happened between the two of you in the booth? What have you to say about _that_ , Genesis?"

Silence stretched between them. Far longer than Sephiroth expected, but Genesis was going to say _something_ to account for his behavior tonight. And so he continued to glare at him until he produced words. Any at all.

"She's as much to blame," the man muttered finally.

 _And that's the best you can offer,_ he seethed in frustration and anger. _You sit there and blame Lilith. What for- having the temerity to turn you down? Oh no, my friend, you don't get off so easily._

"From what I've heard, the lady made her wishes quite clear and you were the one ignoring her. How is she to blame if you were too thick-headed to leave her alone when she asked you to?"

"Yeah, well, I don't know what you heard and from whom, but Lilith's signals weren't as clear as you make it sound."

"Meaning?"

"She didn't say no when I was asking her to dance. Said she had fun, even. What was I supposed to infer from that?"

"That she had a good time dancing. What else could she have meant?"

"When a woman says something like that, it's code."

"For what?"

"For an invitation to extend the fun beyond dancing."

"Not always, Genesis. Sometime, it just means she had fun and nothing more than that."

"Not in my experience. You just don't understand the game because you think you're too good for the fangirls."

"Lilith isn't a 'fangirl'."

"Because she's in SOLDIER? C'mon, man. Women are women- even ones who dress up in uniform and play at being SOLDIERs."

An equivocation that Sephiroth might have been more inclined to believe yesterday; given the events of today, he was willing to consider that perhaps not all of them put a priority on romance. _Or in Genesis' case, something a notch below romance._ And so he felt obliged to point the possibility out to his misguided friend.

"She's never so much as dated anyone at Shinra. Never once shown any interest in you. Had, in fact, made it very clear this morning that she didn't even _like_ you. What of any of that makes you think she would be interested tonight?"

"On playgrounds, girls throw rocks at the boys they like," Genesis argued with an indolent shrug. He continued his point to say, "Some things don't change as a person grows older- they just use a different set of 'rocks'."

Sephiroth gave up, lacking the patience to deal with Genesis' stupidity right now. Tomorrow morning, he'd get Angeal to help him with a solid lecture. If anyone had a talent for lecturing, Angeal did. Better to leave this to him.

"I don't know where you got these ideas, Genesis, but I'm done arguing with you. Obviously, you have no interest in listening to me."

"You're right. I don't."

"Then you can answer me one question- where's Lilith?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

"How the hell should I know? She stormed out of here."

Frustrated by Genesis' unconcerned air, Sephiroth tried again. He phrased his next question very purposefully, "Did she leave the nightclub?"

"Maybe. I don't know- nor did I really care. I wasn't going to waste any more time on her when she can't play the game by the rules. Plenty of other women around who do, if you get my meaning."

Yeah, Sephiroth did. All too clearly. He glowered one last time at his friend.

"I'm walking away from this discussion, Genesis, but mark my words: this isn't over for you. And I'd be very careful about any women you meet up with tonight. Might just be best to do without for once if you get _my_ meaning."

Without giving the man a chance to reply, Sephiroth backed away from the table and turned his back on him. He'd waste no more time hunting for Lilith in the nightclub. Far more likely that she'd headed back to the hotel after her argument with Genesis. He'd meet up with Angeal to report on what he'd discovered, then head over to see if his theory proved true.

* * *

Fueled by adrenaline and fury, I just kept walking. At no point did I turn to see if Genesis followed, or look for anyone in our group. Just put one foot in front of the other left it all behind. Past all the fashionable men and women enjoying their night at the club. Around the edge of the sparsely occupied dancefloor. All the way out to the busy street.

Only when I breathed in the chill evening air did I slow my pace. Slowed, but didn't stop. _I really shouldn't leave the club without telling someone,_ the thought crossed my mind. Still didn't stop. I was in no mood to listen to speeches from Angeal or endure any smug looks from either Genesis or Sephiroth.

And as for Zack and the others… _no good will come of talking to_ them _about this._ Knowing them, they'd try to start up a fight with Genesis and get themselves hurt in the process. I couldn't have them do that on _my_ account. _  
_

So I ignored the curious glances of passersby, heading in the general direction of the hotel. I'd seen enough nightlife for one evening. More than enough.

 _Exactly why I never wanted to go out in the first place- nothing but trouble in the end._

As I left the crowds for quieter streets, I replayed the scene with Genesis. The image of him smiling at me with that air of male arrogance- so _certain_ that I'd welcome his advances- seared itself in my mind. No matter what I'd said, he'd brushed it off as a coy game. I knew he played the field, but never dreamed that he held so little respect for women.

 _You knew,_ a stern voice in my head whispered. _You just thought you would be different because you weren't one of the fangirls he's usually chasing. Turns out you're not._

"Of all the stupid, idiotic…" I muttered under my breath. "Should've gone with your instincts and told him no on the dancefloor."

The marquee of the hotel lit up the darkness ahead of me like a beacon. I hurried towards it, still berating myself for the whole debacle with Genesis. Fortunately, the lobby was deserted at this hour, so no other guests were around to hear any of the vehement swearing peppering the self-lecture.

By the time I'd reached my room, I'd run through just about every curse I knew. And yet my anger hadn't abated. Not just at Genesis, but also with myself. I slammed the door behind me, kicked off the shoes I'd been wearing, and combed fingers through my hair. Only then did I recognize the all too familiar throb in my temples.

 _Oh no…not now._

Veering sharply in the direction of the adjoining bathroom, I focused on a rhythm of calming breaths. If I was lucky, I could prevent the ache from developing into a true migraine. But I needed to act quickly. Among my things, I carried with me a supply of medicines that helped manage the pain if I took it before the migraine began.

Snatching the bag of various toiletries from the bathroom vanity, I dug through it in search of the vial where I kept the medicine. A cursory rummaging left me empty-handed, so I dumped the entire contents out into the sink. No vial. No sign of it whatsoever. Although I didn't want to believe it, I could only conclude in horrified shock that I must have left it in Midgar.

"Nooooo," I moaned softly. "I _can't_ have forgotten."

Oh but I had. Meaning my terrible evening was about to get much, much worse. Already, the throb had sharpened to a pair of spikes, each driving into my brain. A wave of nausea rolled through me; I fought it back with clenched teeth. Unlike the Oceanus, though, I knew this battle would end in defeat. In ten or fifteen minutes, I'd be at its mercy. Just enough time to change clothes. Painstakingly slow steps carried me back into the main room and over to the knapsack where I'd left all my gear. I pulled out an oversized tee-shirt and loose-fitting yoga pants.

Every sound was magnified and exaggerated. Even the sound of unzipping my dress seemed unnaturally loud, causing me to wince. I shed the garment without caring that I should hang it in the closet rather than leave it lying on the floor. I fumbled around in the dark for the tee-shirt, unwilling to turn on the bedside lamp. Exposure to light was the worst thing I could do in times like this.

By the time I was dressed, pain had blossomed from the base of my skull straight through to the backs of my eyes. But before I allowed myself to succumb to it, I staggered unsteadily towards the hall door.

 _Forgot to lock it- can't let anyone walk in and see me like this._ One step. Two. I thought I might just make it. And then the third step faltered as my vision grew fuzzy around the edges. I reached for the doorknob to steady myself, but it was too far away. Down I went, collapsing to the floor with a whimper.


	8. Chapter 8: Secrets Revealed & Concealed

Angeal had covered his half of the nightclub with no luck finding Genesis or Lilith. The more time passed, the less sure he was that either of them were still here as he'd assumed.

 _They have to be,_ he willed silently as he strode purposefully through the crowded room. _Because if they aren't…_

The alternative was too terrible to contemplate. Genesis had been a friend for a very long time- ever since they were 3rd Classes. They'd trained together- fought together in more battles than he could ever count. In all that time, he'd come to think he knew the man well enough.

Sure, he knew Genesis had a weakness when it came to women. He couldn't resist even the slightest of invitations, causing more than one altercation with other would-be suitors. But never, not ever, had he pursued a lady who hadn't shown interest. Certainly not the way he had pursued Lilith tonight.

Angeal found himself hoping he hadn't overlooked a very serious character flaw just because the man was a long-time friend. Even more than that- hoped that if he _had_ misjudged Genesis, Lilith wouldn't have to pay the price for his mistake.

 _Well, I've reached the last corner I could have checked,_ he sighed. _Might as well return to the booth and see if Sephiroth or the 2_ _nd_ _Classes had any better luck._

By the time he'd retraced his steps, Fair and his two friends were conferring with one another in agitated whispers. From the look on the trio's faces, they hadn't seen their missing colleagues, either. Of the three, he couldn't tell whether Zack or Kunsel was most distressed by the situation.

Fair's concern came as no surprise; his recommendation had brought Lilith to Junon for this mission. Naturally he'd feel a sense of responsibility for having let down a colleague on his team. Angeal felt no less responsible. He saw the potential for disaster before they'd disembarked the airship this morning.

 _Rather wishing I'd conceded Zack's point and sent Genesis back to Midgar right then. Sephiroth and I could have managed the Leviathan with the help of the others, and Lilith certainly proved herself with the Oceanus._

But rather than voicing those recriminations aloud, Angeal focused on moving forward with the situation as it stood. He nodded to the trio of 2nd Classes, who ceased their discussion as soon as he approached.

"I gather that your search was unsuccessful," he supplied in the strained silence that remained.

"That'd be correct, sir," Zack answered. "We combed the room thoroughly, but saw neither Lilith nor Genesis among the patrons of the club."

He couldn't help being disappointed. If anything, he was hoping that one of them might have seen Genesis scouting for a new conquest on the dancefloor. Even if Lilith had left the club alone would've come as a comfort. Let Genesis chalk the argument up to an ill-advised move on his part and find a more suitable companion for the evening.

"I believe at this point we must assume that they've both left the premises." _Hopefully in separate directions._ "I doubt we'll have any further luck in the nightclub."

"Not where the lady's concerned," interrupted Sephiroth, who had returned unbeknownst to Angeal. "But Genesis is still here."

"You saw him?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

"Hardly. He appeared to have lost no time scouting out a table and a woman to share it with him."

Given the events that precipitated the search, Angeal felt he needed to ask, "And this woman…?"

"Was all too happy to oblige him," Sephiroth interjected before he could finish. "Had I not interrupted and sent her away, the two of them likely would be headed back to the hotel this very minute."

 _Not sure whether I should feel relieved or disgusted._

"And what of Genesis, then? What did he have to say for himself?"

"Not much, and none of it worthy of a Shinra SOLDIER. Certainly not one of his rank." At Angeal's prompting look, he continued, "In short, he laid the blame on Lilith."

Ominous grumbling from the 2nd Classes, but none of them voiced their outrage directly. And outraged they most definitely were. Luxiere crossed his arms, eyebrows drawn together in a disapproving frown, though it paled in contrast to the thunderous expression on Kunsel's face. Even Zack's usually carefree attitude had vanished beneath a grim scowl.

Had Genesis been present, one or all of them might have taken a swing at the man.

"Care to elaborate?"

Sephiroth's gaze darted to the trio of junior SOLDIERs listening to the discussion. Their reactions must have told his friend something Angeal wasn't privy to, given the significant look he directed at him a moment later. No idea at all what it meant.

"I think perhaps it would be best to leave a more detailed explanation for later when you can get it from Genesis himself."

"Yes- I notice he didn't return with you." _And just why is that, Sephiroth?_ "Should we expect him to arrive shortly?"

"I rather doubt it. He's determined not to listen to reason and dragging him along by force will only add to any rumors that may already be circulating."

"So he just gets away with this."

All heads turned to the speaker of those terse words. Not Zack as Angeal might have assumed, but Kunsel. Curious. In any case, he appeared to be pushed beyond his limits enough to question the decision of a higher ranking SOLDIER. And rather than rebuke him for it, Sephiroth chose to explain his reasons. Also interesting.

"Not at all. But if this is to remain a Shinra matter- as it should- avoiding a scene will be critical. I would think as a _friend_ of the lady-" Angeal heard a definite emphasis on the word 'friend'- "you wouldn't want a private matter like this exposed to the public. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, of course," Kunsel conceded, though the hard edge in his tone was unmistakable. Behind him, Zack and Luxiere exchanged a glance, but said nothing. "Just so long as this _does_ get handled."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, but again, seemed to ignore the man's impertinence. And since he wasn't going to address it, Angeal let the matter go as well. For now. He most certainly intended to find out from his friend what all this was about later, though.

"It will be."

And with the question of Genesis' whereabouts settled, Angeal switched to a more pressing topic.

"Genesis didn't happen to mention where Lilith is, did he?"

"I asked."

"And?"

"He told me no more than what the waitress had already said, and expressed quite clearly that he didn't really care one way or another."

"So we're no closer to knowing where she could be than we were an hour ago."

"I'd hazard a guess that it's safe to assume the lady is no longer in the club," Sephiroth replied. "First order of business would be to check the hotel. In the rare event that she hasn't returned to her room, we'll explore our alternatives."

"It would seem we have no choice." Angeal turned to the 2nd Classes. "Fair- you take the other two with you and check Lilith's room. If she _is_ there, I think she'd be more inclined to speak with her friends than either of us."

No argument from the trio- or from Sephiroth. And as quickly as the matter was decided, the young men took their leave. They disappeared into the crowded nightclub. Angeal watched for a minute or two, waiting until he was sure they were well on their way before he faced his friend.

"Now that the youngsters have gone, I'd appreciate it if you filled me in what is it you seem to know about this story that has escaped my notice."

A subtle smile was all the answer he received at first, but as Sephiroth became aware that his patience was wearing thing, he offered something more concrete.

"Before I came upon our friend, I had a particularly illuminating chat with the fangirls who'd occupied our booth earlier. I believe you may recall them."

All too well. Quite possibly three of the most obnoxious women he'd encountered in a long time. But he'd borne their presence by telling himself that they'd keep Genesis' mind off Lilith. If only _that_ had worked out as planned. Definitely did not. Angeal was very curious to know what his friend had discovered to that end, and nodded.

"When Fair and his friends explained that they'd gotten separated from Lilith on the dancefloor, they failed to mention that those particular ladies contributed to that separation. You could say they caused it." A pause. "At Genesis' behest."

"So he-"

"Spun a convincing story to pawn the fangirls off to our hapless 2nd Classes so that he would have a clear field with Lilith. Yes, my friend, that's exactly what he did."

Angeal pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, squeezing his eyes shut against the pressure building behind them.

"The more I hear about this affair, the more I'm wishing I'd left one or both of them behind in Midgar. I swear, never again am I putting those two on a mission. The same goes for any other woman who might make it to 2nd Class."

"That may be for the best, Angeal, but I've yet to tell you the rest of the news imparted to me."

 _Oh great, there's more._ Though he'd rather not, Angeal asked wearily, "And what's that?"

"According to the lady, Genesis wasn't just using the girls to distract Lilith's friends- he may also have been thwarting a potential rival."

At first, the news caught Angeal by surprise, but when he replayed the events of the evening- especially the conversation with the 2nd Classes- the answer was obvious. So obvious he wondered how he hadn't already suspected it for himself.

"Kunsel, I take it."

"The lady didn't say, and nor did I ask her, but given his reaction a moment ago, I am certain he's who she meant."

At least _that_ made sense. Lilith and Kunsel had come in as 3rd Classes around the same time and had spent most of their training together. Common experiences; common rank. And while Angeal wasn't overly thrilled with SOLDIERs choosing romantic partners from among their colleagues, he could understand why it happened.

Few outside SOLDIER understood the life they led, or were prepared to deal with its complications. Long periods of separation, pressure to perform to the demands of Shinra's exacting standards…all of it took a toll. Maintaining a lasting bond under those circumstances rarely succeeded. In the end, only SOLDIERs understood other SOLDIERs.

"And here I thought the Leviathan would be the biggest disaster to face in Junon," he quipped wryly. "I'll have to sort this out early tomorrow- before returning to Midgar. The last thing we need is open confrontation between those two, and I think the puppy might be angry enough to do it."

"I'm inclined to agree." Sephiroth took note of the time and gestured towards the front of the club. "That's probably head start enough. Back to the hotel, then?"

"You really mean to leave Genesis here."

"I see no value in talking to him again before morning, given the brief and discouraging conversation I've already had. Getting Genesis to see reason will be impossible when he's consumed by his penchant for liquor and women."

For a moment, Angeal hesitated, debating if he should air his earlier concerns before he'd gotten all accounts of the evening. Sephiroth and Genesis were closer friends in many ways than he was with either of them. He didn't want to make any premature accusations; on the other hand, he felt a duty to express his honest opinion of the situation.

"Sephiroth?" His friend paused mid-step and glanced back at him, an eyebrow raised in silent query. "Do you suppose he's done anything like this before?"

A shadow flickered in Sephiroth's expression. Before he turned away again, he answered, "I don't know, Angeal. After tonight, I honestly don't know."

* * *

 _This isn't over for you._ The words repeated themselves ominously in Genesis' head as Sephiroth stalked away. No idle threat, either. Apparently, he'd gotten his friend well and truly irked over this thing with Lilith. _And you can bet if_ he's _annoyed, Angeal will be fuming._

Outrage from the latter came as no surprise, since Angeal had all but ordered him to stay away from Lilith. Mr. Everything-by-the-Rules would never approve of anything remotely fun. Which was all he'd been having, anyway. Or had _tried_ to. If Lilith hadn't been so uptight earlier, both of them could be having a _great_ time right now.

But Sephiroth? Why he'd taken a stand against Genesis on the issue mystified him. Just this morning, the two of them had been on the same page. At least, that's what _he'd_ thought. Now he wondered if his friend had been humoring him.

He was staring idly at the floor while mulling the mystery over, when a shapely pair of legs materialized in his field of vision. Crossed in front of his table, and just as they were reaching the furthest edge of his periphery awareness, stopped. Backtracked. Genesis smiled to himself, raising his gaze to discover their owner.

 _Well, well,_ he mused. _Look who's come back._

Not Ana, of course. Sephiroth had scared her away quite thoroughly. The brunette from before- the one he'd sacrificed to Fair and his two friends in exchange for Lilith. At first he couldn't recall her name, but a moment's thought brought it back to him.

"Danita," he greeted her with a saucy wink. "Fancy seeing you cross my path- and alone at that. Were my friends not to your liking, or have you already finished with them?"

"Nothing to finish," she replied archly. "Since none of them were interested in us."

"Perish the thought, my lady. Who could dare resist a beauty like yourself?"

"Fine words, but don't forget that you were equally happy to send me away."

"A necessity, I assure you. I did have a meeting with someone else that required my attention earlier."

"You have an interesting definition of the word meeting. I saw you with that woman in the grey dress. Your friends made such a fuss about her. She was all they could talk about. Right in front of us, even."

"I'd promised her a dance. Surely you don't begrudge a man for keeping his word?"

"Seems to me that you were in the business of making your friends jealous. Especially the one who called himself Kunsel."

 _Kunsel, huh?_ Genesis filed that thought away for safe-keeping. Might come in useful later when they all returned to Midgard. In the meantime, Danita hadn't finished recounting her observations about the puppy.

"Quite the sore loser, I found. Seems if he couldn't have the one he wanted, he wasn't having any woman at all."

"A sore loser indeed," he agreed.

"And what of you, then," she asked boldly. "I notice that while you might have danced with the lady, she's left the club without you. Is she really _so_ desirable that only she'll do?"

Danita pouted prettily, tracing the tabletop with a long-lacquered fingernail. She was putting on a good show for him- pretending to be angry. But Genesis knew exactly why she'd come back here. Part of him wished Sephiroth had stuck around to see this. Then maybe his friend would understand what he'd meant about female code.

 _But since he_ isn't _here, I see no reason why I shouldn't take her up on her invitation._ He certainly had no intention of following that ridiculous advice about 'doing without'. If a lovely lady was going to throw herself at him, who was he to refuse? Genesis could already tell this one knew how to have a good time. _And I'm never one to waste an opportunity for a good time._

"I consider myself a much wiser man than my young colleague," he assured her, sliding further into the booth while gesturing that Danita should join him. "So what say you and I pick up where we left off? Have a drink with me, my fair lady- a toast, perhaps?"

Her façade lasted for little more than a second, and then she cozied up next to him. Genesis took Ana's glass, filled it from the expensive liquor bottle he'd procured earlier, and handed it to Danita. She took it eagerly from his fingertips.

"What shall we drink to?"

"To the folly of others who don't know what they're missing," he replied. She giggled as he wrapped one arm around her waist. An effective move so that he could murmur suggestively in her ear, "And to all the wicked fun we'll be having without them later on."

* * *

"Kunsel, wait up," Zack called out from behind him.

Kunsel didn't so much as check his stride. If his friends wanted to catch up, they'd pick up their pace to match his. Or they could get left behind for all he cared. Nor was he in any mood to talk to either of them if that's what Zack wanted. Not about Genesis. Not about anything.

So when his friends did pull even with him on the sidewalk, Kunsel kept his eyes straight forward. Would that it had done him any good.

"Look," Zack began in a cautious tone. "I know you're upset about Genesis and Lilith, but-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Kunsel cut him off sharply.

"The hell you don't," Luxiere protested. "You're not the only one who's got a reason to be pissed off. We're Lilith's friends, too, you know."

That word cut painfully in ways it hadn't before, which only fueled his dark mood. He shot Luxiere a glare.

"Yeah. So let's just get back to the hotel, okay?"

"Who died and put you in charge?"

"Lux…" Zack interjected warningly.

The young SOLDIER gestured at Kunsel as he addressed their friend.

"What? If you have some insight into why he's being such a jerk, by all means tell me. Because it's getting on my nerves."

For almost half a block, none of them said anything. At last, Zack sighed. His reply was more to Kunsel than to their friend.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"About what?"

"Come on, man. It's just us three. So you might as well level with us."

"I don't know what you're-" A flat look from Zack told him that no denial was going to get him out of this. So he gave up and admitted, "Because I know nothing's ever going to happen."

"You don't know that for sure."

"Lilith wants to make 1st Class. It's all she's wanted since she joined SOLDIER. I'm not naïve enough to think that I can compete with that."

Understanding dawned at last on Luxiere's face, and he said the words Kunsel had been careful to avoid in his answer.

"You want Lilith- as more than a friend, I mean. _That's_ what this is all about, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Then why in the hell haven't you told her?"

"For the reasons I just said, Lux. I'm realistic about my chances- which are zero. So why ruin what I _do_ have?"

Luxiere shook his head in disgust.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. You friend-zoned _yourself_. Fighting a Leviathan- that you'll do without batting an eye. But you won't stick up for yourself over something so easy."

Kunsel wished it were as simple as his friend seemed to think it was. Or that he could be as optimistic.

"It really isn't. Can we just let it go?"

"But…"

"It's his decision, Lux," Zack interjected firmly. "Let him make it for himself."

Kunsel appreciated that at least _one_ of his friends was willing to agree with him. As for the other…he looked as though he might pursue the subject. Luxiere glanced first at Zack, and then back to him before deciding to drop the issue.

"All right." Kunsel was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he added, "But even if you're _not_ going to make a move with Lilith- why in the hell would you let _Genesis_ have her instead?"

"Genesis didn't _have_ Lilith," he countered, tone razor-sharp.

"Okay, maybe not. But he certainly tried- and you just stood back to let it happen."

They'd reached the entrance to the hotel. Kunsel wrapped his fingers around the door handle and pulled it towards him. For a long minute, he just stood there. Staring past his friends as he shuffled through the varying feelings that surfaced at Luxiere's accusation.

Guilt, certainly, ranked high on that list. Had he let Zack follow his inclinations earlier, perhaps the evening wouldn't have taken such a disastrous turn. Maybe they would all be still at the club, having a good time. Maybe the confrontation would have led to any number of worse outcomes- though he confessed he couldn't think much worse than the story the waitress had told.

 _If I could go back and do it over…_ Kunsel shook his head, knowing his answer to that question. Before stepping through to the lobby, he told his friend, "I didn't make the choice I did out of consideration for _Genesis_."

The elevator ride up to their floor was awkwardly silent, the only sound a period chime as they ascended past the next floor. When it stopped, the three of them filed into the hall without a word. Lilith's room was at the far end; the walk seemed interminable. Until they stood at her door, trading uncertain glances with one another.

"Well, we're here."

"Yeah, I guess we are."

"I suppose one of us ought to knock," Zack suggested.

Both he and Luxiere stared expectantly at Kunsel.

"One of us being me, I take it?" He sighed. "Yeah, okay, I guess I'm the obvious choice."

Kunsel knocked on the hardwood surface and listened for any movement inside. Nothing. Not discouraged quite yet, he tried a second time- a little louder. No footsteps or sounds from the other side. A quick look at Zack told him that his friend was disheartened at the lack of response.

"Maybe try saying something? It's late, and if she isn't asleep already, she might not answer if she doesn't know who it is. Might even think it's Genesis."

Not a theory without merit, and so when Kunsel knocked the third time, he called in a clear voice, "Lilith? If you're there, it's Kunsel. Zack, Luxiere and I came by, since you, uh, left the nightclub rather abruptly."

A muffled sound this time. Not exactly a reply, though. More of a…well, he wasn't quite sure what to call it. But at the very least, it proved that Lilith was there.

 _Now what?_

A question on the minds of his friends as well. This time, Zack spoke up.

"I know you probably don't want to talk to anyone, Lilith, but if we could just have a few minutes. Just to make sure you're okay."

The murmur came again- a little louder, and Luxiere shrugged.

"Probably asleep as you said. We ought to just leave her be and come back in the morning."

 _I'm not so sure I agree with you, friend._ To Kunsel's ear the sound conveyed a note of distress, increasing his worry ten-fold. Too many unanswered questions about the evening for him to feel comfortable about making assumptions.

What _had_ happened after the waitress lost sight of Lilith? And why hadn't Sephiroth wanted to disclose whatever Genesis had told him? _Or maybe something else befell her on the way back to the hotel- no connection to the incident with Genesis at all._ For those reasons, Kunsel decided he'd rather be safe than sorry.

"Suppose she's not, Lux? Suppose something really _is_ wrong and no one finds out until tomorrow. Do you want to live with _that_ for the rest of your life?"

"Well…no."

"And might I remind you that the 1st Classes tasked us with assuring Lilith's safety. Do you want to explain to them how we assumed she was fine without finding out for certain?"

Luxiere shook his head, "No."

"So then what are you suggesting we do," Zack queried. "I mean, we can't just break into her room uninvited."

Honestly, Kunsel hadn't gotten that far yet. His friend had a point, though. On the other hand, the three of them couldn't stand here in the hall shouting through the door until Lilith answered it. They'd draw far too much unwanted attention. He was stuck, and wasn't liking it one bit.

"Of course we're not going break in," he answered at last, resting a hand on the doorknob.

"Well? Any ideas?"

"We could-" the knob turned unexpectedly beneath his palm, and Kunsel's reply cut short as the door swung inward.

An inky darkness shrouded the room beyond the thresh hold, in stark contrast to the sliver of floor illuminated by the light from the hall. In the path of that beam lie an outstretched hand. Kunsel pushed the door wider to reveal Lilith, curled up on her side on the carpet, sobbing quietly.

"Lilith!" He led the charge as the three of them rushed over to her at once. "Lilith, what's wrong?"

* * *

Pain split my skull with the keenness of an ax. I closed my eyes tightly against it- and the unforgiving light pouring in from the hallway. Didn't help. Whatever small relief that might have given me was immediately snatched away by the shouts hammering my eardrums. I was too dizzied by the pain to cover them with my hands.

"Lilith!"

"Lilith- are you hurt!? What's wrong?"

Zack and…Kunsel? I barely recognized the voices. But when I dared crack one eye open, the worried faces of my friends blurred and swirled in my field of vision. And now the whole room tilted in an uneasy angle that made me queasy. I squeezed my eyelids shut again and clenched my jaw against the need to vomit.

It passed. Barely.

But the incessant questions from my friends were only making things worse. I drew a shallow breath through my nose and croaked out a terse command.

"Shut up- _please_. All of you _be_ _quiet_ a minute."

"But…what's…."

"Migraines," I ground out painfully. "I get migraines. Can't tolerate…noises or…light."

A minute of silence passed before Zack whispered, "Lux- the door."

"What?"

"Would you…?"

"Oh- right. I'm on it."

I heard the sound of movement, followed by the latch catching as the door snicked closed. Without the needling intrusion of light, I could breathe a little easier.

"Better?" Kunsel asked tentatively.

"Mhmm," I murmured, not wanting to wreck the calm I was striving for by speaking any louder.

"What should we do," Luxiere said- presumably to one of the others. "She doesn't look good at all."

 _Thanks, Luxiere. Way to boost my spirits._

Zack either chose to ignore his question, or decided I would have a better answer to it.

"Lilith?" His voice reverberated excruciatingly in my head, even though I knew he'd made an effort to be quiet. "Is there something we can do to help?"

 _Just one thing._

"Go away."

As expected, that suggestion did not work at all.

"We can't just leave you here like this," he protested. "There has to be some medicine that could fix you up."

"Forgot it at home," I admitted with a slight groan. "Too late now, anyway."

My eyes were still closed, so I couldn't see whatever the three of them thought of my answer. But it sounded as though they weren't going to give up on the idea of helping me. It was nice of them to think they could, but really, all I could do now was wait this out until morning. By then, the vice and pliers torturing my brain would subside enough that I could function again.

"Can we at least help you up from the floor?" That question from Kunsel. "What are you doing down here, anyway?"

I braced myself to answer him in clipped sentences.

"Trying to lock the door. Stupid. Wasn't enough time. Passed out."

"Okay, then. So…would you more comfortable, um," he paused awkwardly, "On the bed?"

Oh no. I couldn't possibly move now. The second I did, the nausea would return and I'd be heaving up all of dinner. Likely all over whomever was closest to me. Best to just lie here on what had to be the scratchiest carpeting I'd ever felt in my life.

"No. Can't move."

"We'll help, no worry."

"Sure, Lilith. It's no problem at all," Zack chimed in.

"No- you don't-"

I counted to five in my head as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed me- reminded me what I shouldn't have forgotten. Allowing myself to become frustrated or angry only increased the strength of the migraine. I tried a different, more _direct_ explanation, hoping they would understand.

"Motion sickness."

"So if we pick you up…" Luxiere began, and then trailed off without finishing the thought aloud; he didn't need to, really. "Yeah, maybe we just leave you there, then."

" _Lux!_ " Zack hissed at him. "You're _really_ not helping."

"What- do _you_ want her to vomit all over you? 'Cause _I_ sure don't."

While the two of them bickered quietly with one another, Kunsel's focus remained on me. Even though I couldn't see him, I was acutely aware that he was still kneeling at my right shoulder.

"Lilith, sleeping on this floor can't be good for you."

"I'll be fine."

"It's no big deal."

Yes it was.

I _hated_ vomiting more than anything in the world. More than the relentless agony searing my brain. More than having my friends _discover_ me in this state. None of that compared to how much I hated the nausea. Every time I had a migraine- or just got sick with the flu or something- I fought it tooth and nail. Even if I knew I'd feel better afterwards.

"Please don't," I pleaded pitifully. "Just let me stay here."

"All right," he capitulated with a reluctant sigh. "If that's what you really want."

"Yes."

By then, Zack and Luxiere's quarrel had ended. The former must have heard Kunsel's promise.

"We can't seriously leave her on the floor all night. Can you imagine what Angeal will say about that when he finds out?"

For a second or two, the import behind those words didn't hit me. When they did, though, I could hardly contain my abject horror. Against every sensible instinct trained into me since I'd started getting migraines, I jackknifed into a sitting position and opened my eyes.

" _No!_ " I cried out forcibly. "You guys can't say _anything_ about this."

Despite the darkness, I could just make out their shocked expressions. And then the room began to sway again, so I dragged a breath in through my nose, hoping to keep the nausea at bay until I'd finished.

"But Lilith, you can't mean for us to keep your migraine from the 1st Classes," Zack protested once he'd found his voice. "They should be aware of something this important. And at the very least, maybe they can help."

"No, they shouldn't. And no, they can't."

"But…"

"Zack, listen to me." I ignored the white-hot spikes driving into my temples and continued. "I don't want _anyone_ knowing about the migraines- least of all Angeal and Sephiroth."

"Why not?"

"Because they'd kick me out of SOLDIER. I'm a decent fighter, but this has weakness written all over it. They'll have me out in a fast minute."

"You can't seriously think that."

"I absolutely do. Why do you think I haven't said anything before now?"

Zack's look turned suspicious and he held up a hand before either Luxiere or Kunsel could comment.

"Wait…how long have you been having these?"

The room grew extremely silent as the three of them waited for my answer. For once, the quiet wasn't helping the pain in my head. I sighed heavily.

"A long time. Long before I joined SOLDIER."

"And you didn't think to tell us? _Any_ of us?"

He sounded both hurt and insulted. I glanced at Kunsel, whose expression communicated very clearly that he was likewise hurt about my keeping secrets. Guilt nipped at my conscience, even though I hadn't meant to cause any hard feelings.

"No."

"We're your friends, Lilith," Zack pointed out. "Or at least I thought we were. Didn't you trust us at all?"

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?" Kunsel wanted to know. "If you didn't want anyone else to know, we could've kept the secret."

"That's why I didn't want to tell you."

"That doesn't make sense."

"This is _my_ problem. I didn't want to make it any of yours or ask you to keep secrets for me. Suppose Angeal or the other two finds out about _that_? You can kiss your careers in SOLDIER goodbye for sure."

The long speech drained just about everything I had, and the fuzzy blackness from before was encroaching upon my vision again. I might have swayed a bit; a hand reached out to steady me. Even so, I felt the need to lie down again before I fainted. Or worse.

Kunsel must have noticed the rapid change in my condition.

"Lilith? Are you okay?"

"Dizzy again. Gonna lie down."

Slowly- much more slowly than the manner in which I'd sat up- I sank to the floor and curled into the fetal position. The adrenaline that had given me the ability to fight the pain had receded, leaving me worse off than before. I closed my eyes and concentrated on breathing. Just breathing. Above me, I heard the three of them talking amongst themselves.

"So what do we do?"

"What she asked us to do."

"Are you crazy? Lilith said it herself- if we _don't_ tell Angeal about this and he finds out…we're finished. All of us."

"Lux," Kunsel insisted in a tone that brooked no argument. "We're doing as she asked."

"Look, just because you-"

The second half of Luxiere's sentence was cut abruptly short, though I couldn't discern how. In any event, Kunsel finished his explanation as though no one had spoken.

"Because we're her friends and we look out for one another. So- not a word to Angeal or Sephiroth. Agreed?"

"Fine. But what the hell _are_ we going to tell them? You know they're going to want an update when they get here."

"Zack? Thoughts?"

"We found her- safe in the room. That much is true."

"But what of the business with Genesis? What do we tell them about that?"

"That she didn't want to talk about it. C'mon, guys, we should get back into the hall before those two arrive."

Several minutes passed in silence. I was on the edge of consciousness, and barely heard Kunsel's reply.

"Yeah. But maybe one last thing before we go…"

Whatever he might have said after that was lost as I sank into blissful oblivion.


	9. Chapter 9: Confrontation and Repression

By gradual degrees, I resurfaced from sleep. The knife-edge pain had dulled to an aching throb I had come to know well. A tolerable sort of discomfort that lingered after the worst of the episode passed. One I could ignore enough to function, anyway. Strong coffee would help towards that end, if I got moving. Heaving a reluctant sigh, I opened my eyes.

The room was still dark, although a pale glow behind the drawn curtains suggested that morning had dawned at least an hour ago. Perhaps longer. I groped for my phone to check the time, hoping that I hadn't overslept and missed the departure time for Midgar. Angeal would be furious.

 _Hell, when even_ is _our departure time?_ Neither he nor Sephiroth had mentioned it last night before we went to the club, so I had no way of knowing. As I became more aware of the room, another- far more important- question demanded my attention. _And how in all that's holy did I end up_ here _?_

Instead of lying on that horrific industrial carpeting, I found myself tucked into the blankets on the room's queen-sized bed. An improvement, of course. But a troubling one, since I had _definitely_ passed out on the floor. I pressed fingertips to my temples, trying to recall the more shadowy events of late last night.

A scrap of memory threaded its way to the forefront. I clutched the edge of the duvet in alarm, eyes riveted on the door. Specifically at its lock, which was- as I feared- not bolted. Meaning _anyone_ could have stumbled into my room last night. Given where I was now, someone _had_ to have. But who?

In the foggy haze of the migraine aftermath, combined with a bit of a hangover…I was having trouble answering that question. Didn't want to, honestly. Because while events occurring after my return from the club were fuzzy, Genesis' ominous threat that I'd be sorry remained very clear in my mind.

Suppose he had followed me here and… _just stop. Stop right there, Lilith. Look around you and think logically,_ I ordered.

And so, taking my own advice, I beat back the panic rising in my throat to take stock of the situation. In bed, yes, but wearing the same clothes I'd put on last night. But perhaps more importantly- I was _alone_. Whenever Genesis exacted his revenge, guaranteed he'd want to be present to see my reaction.

Troubling thoughts for a different day, but not related to my current situation. So if not him- who? I massaged the frown lines that had deepened across my forehead.

 _Think. You can remember if you concentrate._

No easy task. Just the act of dredging for memories wakened the ache in my head. But a few minutes' racking my brain paid off.

"Zack," I murmured to myself. "And Kunsel. Luxiere, too. They were all here."

The details trickled in behind that realization, filling in spaces that had been blank only moments ago. I remembered the three of them jarring me out of unconsciousness, and their repeated- yet futile- attempts to offer their help. Then there'd been that whole awkward conversation at the end about keeping secrets.

The three of them had been discussing what they'd do regarding Sephiroth and Angeal when I'd succumbed to exhaustion. I thought I remembered one of them insisting that the migraines remain a secret- as I'd asked. And maybe the others agreed. After that, though, the details were murky at best.

 _Wasn't there some mention about 'one more thing' before they left?_ Couldn't recall which one of them said it, but if I were to guess, I would bet on either Kunsel or Zack. And now I understood what they'd meant by those words. One or both of them must have moved me to the bed after I passed out.

An act of kindness. Nothing more.

And yet, a shiver ran through me at the idea of anyone- even my friends- laying hands on my body while I was unconscious. How often in the days before joining SOLDIER had others done the same, only for far less noble reasons? Too many nights I'd awoken to the wandering hands of someone hoping to satisfy their own needs at my expense.

 _Those days are long gone,_ I told myself. _All in the past. So leave them there. Focus on the now._

Words I repeated often over the past few years. On days like today, difficult ones to live by. But the rest of the group was waiting downstairs. I didn't have the luxury of letting the unease of my street-living past to haunt me this morning. I shuddered one more time, threw off the blankets and set my feet to the floor.

Standing brought on a minor wave of dizziness, so I set a hand to the nightstand until it passed. Food would help with that; I hadn't eaten since dinner last night. Getting something to eat was high on my list once I'd gotten dressed.

My uniform hung from the shower curtain rod in the adjoining bathroom. Although dry, I could still see the pale salt stains from the aquatic battle I'd fought in it yesterday. Not to mention the gashes and rips in the right leg of the fatigue pants. I was sure that wearing that wouldn't make the best of impression to the 1st Classes, but had little choice.

 _Lesson learned- always bring a spare uniform on a mission._

That is, if I were ever _invited_ on another mission. After this disaster, I doubted Angeal was going to make another offer in my direction any time soon. If ever. Even if he didn't take Genesis' side about last night, the discord alone would be enough to earn disfavor in his eyes. In-fighting was not an honorable practice among SOLDIERs; we were supposed to be above that.

 _Supposed to be,_ I thought resentfully. _But then again, I'd expect an_ honorable _Shinra SOLDIER wouldn't treat a woman with the kind of disrespect I received last night, either. What do you have to say to that, Angeal?_ I'd find out soon enough when I arrived downstairs.

* * *

"Genesis!" Angeal thundered as he rapped impatiently on the door. "Genesis, you'd better present yourself right now. I won't warn you again."

As Sephiroth stood beside his friend, he didn't doubt the sincerity of that threat. They'd made two trips to this room since returning from the nightclub last night. Both times, no answer to their inquiries. The nearer time drew for their departure to Midgar, the less patient Angeal had become in his quest for answers from Genesis.

Again, no answer. Sephiroth shifted on his feet, passing his friend a bemused glance. Angeal, however, was in no mood for levity.

"I swear, if I find out that he's not even come back to the hotel and is still out on the town…"

He was too annoyed to complete that threat. Unusual, really, to see their usually stoic and unflappable colleague so incensed.

 _Unusual, but certainly befitting the seriousness of the circumstances._

"I'm sure he's there."

"Well then he'd better see fit to answer the door."

"And if he doesn't?"

Angeal withdrew a brass key from his pocket and held it up grimly. He replied in an equally determined tone, "Then I'll answer it for him."

With that dire warning uttered aloud, his friend gave one last knock at the door. Loud enough that the room's occupant couldn't possibly claim not to have heard it. And he waited, turning the brass key over in one hand as the seconds ticked by. At last, Sephiroth heard movement stirring from within.

The door swung inward, revealing a disheveled and indignant Genesis. He leaned on one arm against the door frame, clad in what Sephiroth presumed was a rumpled bedsheet. The perfect picture of debauchery. Wonderful. He couldn't have chosen a better way to be irritating if he'd tried.

 _Perhaps that's the point._

"Well, well, a visit from my friends. I really wasn't expecting company so early this morning." Genesis paused, glancing behind him with a sly grin. "Well, not _yours_ , anyway."

 _I stand corrected. Why, friend? Why are you making this so much worse for yourself?_

He honestly didn't know what had gotten into the man, who seemed almost like a stranger to him. Certainly not anything like the friend he'd claimed to be. But Sephiroth held onto those thoughts, unwilling to drive the wedge any deeper just yet. He still held out hope that whatever had gotten into Genesis last night could be sorted out and they could go back to the way things had always been.

Meanwhile, Angeal crossed his arms and frowned severely, not at all impressed by their friend's cavalier attitude.

"We didn't come for a visit, Genesis, and you know it. The three of us have unfinished business about last night. So whatever company you _do_ have in your room needs to vacate the premises while you make yourself presentable."

The two stared at one another for a long time, each silent as they gauged who would win this battle of wills. Genesis looked away first, though he tried to make it seem like a casual gesture rather than defeat. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged.

"Whatever, Angeal. I'll bet if you could have managed it, you would have dragged everyone out of bed at the crack of dawn."

"With good reason."

Genesis was somewhat unnerved by the man's serious tone, and attempted to cover it by laughing. With a glance to Sephiroth, he tried to make light of the situation. Play it off as some kind of joke.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say he's jealous that of the three of us, I'm the only one who saw any action. Am I right?"

For once, Sephiroth couldn't share his friend's humor, and replied ominously, "Don't keep us waiting, Genesis."

His fun spoiled, and finding no sympathy from either of them, Genesis's smile faded. He turned his back without a word- or closing the door- as he disappeared into the room beyond. Sephiroth thought he heard some muttering amongst the hurried noises of the man getting dressed. Then a hushed conversation involving a petulant-sounding female voice.

More rustles- more words exchanged. Increasingly aggravated on Genesis' side; cloyingly suggestive on the woman's. But whatever disagreement between them was settled before Angeal's patience wore thin enough to barge inside. The lady emerged first, stopping short as she came face to face with them.

 _I might have guessed,_ Sephiroth mused. _Though I'm rather surprised she be so quick to forgive the game Genesis played with her and her friends last night._

Apparently, her interest in adding a SOLDIER 1st Class to her list of conquests outweighed any hard feelings over being his 'second choice'.

"My Lady," he greeted her smoothly. "It would seem I was mistaken yesterday, and my friend did indeed make his amends to you."

Beside him, Angeal coughed to mask what sounded like a strangled choking sound. Sephiroth ignored him, maintaining his attention on the brunette lingering in the doorway. She'd made quite the transformation from the first moment she and her friends had walked up to their booth last night. Either that or her air of inexperience had been an act- and a good one at that.

Didn't really concern him. Whatsoever. If this fangirl was inclined to play games, Sephiroth wasn't of the mind to convince her otherwise. The woman tossed her hair over her shoulder and flashed a smile.

"And then some," she purred. Before Sephiroth could find a polite way to comment, she added, "Lucky for me that _other_ woman turned him down. Can't imagine why anyone would do something so foolish. Spurning him so cruelly when he'd been so solicitous. A woman like _that_ just doesn't know how to treat a man properly."

The lady had just finished speaking when Genesis pulled up behind her. He dared either of them to contradict that opinion, as if her speech somehow proved that the fault lie completely on Lilith for what happened last night. Angeal wanted to rip into their friend right there for carrying on with this whole charade. To his credit, he held back.

 _It's a wonder he didn't break his jaw to do so._

Since neither Sephiroth nor Angeal showed any reaction to the lady's words, Genesis chimed in a few of his own.

"And I am indebted to you, Danita my dear. Truly, you are a woman worthy of admiration." He cast his gaze solely upon her and played a hand down her bare arm. "An angel of mercy, endowed with many… _talents_ …that any man would appreciate. I was honored that you bestowed them upon me."

"Any time, sweetie," Danita simpered with a coquettish giggle that Sephiroth found nauseating. "You need only ask."

"It's a pity we return to Midgar today, or I would. A single night is hardly enough."

Their bantering might have gone on much longer, but Angeal was at his limits. So was Sephiroth, quite frankly. If he had to listen to one more sugary endearment from either one of them, he was going to clout his friend hard enough to send him flying. Angeal saved Genesis from that fate, however, as he cleared his throat to speak.

"If you're about _finished_. We've serious matters to attend to this morning."

Genesis raised his gaze to meet theirs, almost as if he'd forgotten they were still standing there. He smiled thinly, and ushered the lady further into the hall.

"I regret to say it's come time for us to part company, my dear, as much as it pains me to say it. Please forgive my friends if their manners seem abrupt; matters of business mean more to them than matters of the heart."

 _Matters of the heart my ass,_ Sephiroth thought with a derisive snort. _If I believed a word of that speech, my friend, then half the ladies of Midgar could claim they own a piece of your heart._

Sadly, Danita was not so cynical, if her besotted smile were any indication. The jaded woman who'd greeted them at the door had vanished, leaving in her place a lovesick fangirl who reached for those words like precious stones. His friend basked in her adoration as if it were perfectly normal; Sephiroth viewed the rapid transformation with a sense of unease.

 _Genesis, you're playing with fire and you don't even know it. One of these days, you're going to get burned._

After blowing Genesis a kiss, the woman sauntered her way down the hall. Angeal waited until she'd stepped into the elevator at the far end before he rounded on their friend.

"Well that's just what we needed. What do you have to say for yourself, Genesis?"

"What can I say? The ladies love me."

"I can't imagine _why_ that could be," Sephiroth mused, the barest sarcasm coloring his tone. "Maybe because they all think you're equally in love with them? Certainly must be an _exhausting_ affair to be so devoted to so many women."

"What- that spiel? Nothing to it." Genesis gestured in the direction of the elevator. "Fangirls like that one will believe anything. A few meaningless endearments and they're easily dealt with."

"It's dishonest," Angeal countered flatly. "That girl thinks you _actually_ care for her. And you don't, do you?"

"Not a bit."

"Don't you see how wrong that is?"

"You lecture me like this is some egregious crime, Angeal, when it's not that big a deal. I'm only playing up to the fantasy she wants to believe."

Angeal might have interrupted, but their friend continued his rant without pause.

"We both know that's exactly what it is, though. A _fantasy_. One night of fun where she can pretend to be anything and anyone she wants to be. The morning after, pretty words of love are just an easy way to maintain the illusion. But we both know it's not real."

"You can't know that. Suppose she thinks you're serious."

"Oh please. I've done this _hundreds_ of times without a single complaint."

 _Any that we know about, anyway. How many are too embarrassed to admit they fell for your 'pretty words', as you casually call them, to come forward?_

Sephiroth suspected that number could be tallied at more than a few. He was not impressed with his friend this morning. In fact, his opinion had only worsened since last night. How could everyone have missed such a deep-rooted problem? How could _he_ have missed it?

"That's not the point, Genesis."

"No, I think it is, Angeal. If no one's hurt by it, why are you making such a fuss over this? Just because you don't happen to agree with what I do with my free time doesn't make it wrong."

By now, the previously deserted corridor showed signs of activity. Other guests were emerging from their rooms. More than a few turned their eyes and ears towards the heated exchange between Angeal and Genesis. The former took notice immediately and nodded towards the room.

"I think it's best we finish our business in private."

"Why," their friend demanded insolently. "I've nothing to hide. How about you?"

Incensed at the slur upon his honor, Angeal's usually calm demeanor exploded in a flash of temper. He shoved Genesis roughly, causing him to stagger backwards into the partially closed door. He had no time to recover, as Angeal continued to press forward and into the room itself.

Sephiroth ignored the gaping looks of the spectators and closed in from behind. When all three of them were inside, he secured the door. For good measure, he leaned his back against it to let Genesis know escape wasn't an option this time. And for a few minutes, everyone simply glared at one another.

"We're all here- happy now, Angeal?"

"No, quite frankly," the dark-haired man replied coolly, having recovered from his unexpected outburst. "I'm not."

"How can you not be? You're getting to do one of the things you like best- lecture someone. So go on. Lecture away."

"Contrary to what you seem to think, I don't enjoy having to lecture you, Genesis. But you've given me little choice."

"I didn't _do_ anything. Why take me to task over bringing a woman back to the hotel _this_ time when you've _never_ cared about it before?"

"You're right," Angeal agreed tersely. "I haven't. But maybe I _should_ have. Because you know as well as I do that we're not really here to discuss last night's exploits with Danita."

This time, Genesis had no taunting reply. He broke eye contact to stare sullenly at the carpet instead. Oh yes, he knew exactly what they wanted to discuss. When the silence stretched long enough with no response, Angeal continued his point very bluntly.

"I told you to stay away from Lilith. You ignored not only my warning, but acted in flagrant disregard for Shinra policy. Fraternization between ranks is expressly against the rules."

"Shinra policy," Genesis scoffed under his breath. "So what if I bent one tiny little rule? What harm could possibly come of it, anyway?"

"This isn't a tiny rule, and ignoring it comes with serious consequences. It undermines the structure of authority and invites the risk for accusations of coercion."

No different than Sephiroth's conversation last night, their friend deigned not to reply when confronted with the folly of his actions. Angeal was no less frustrated, and tried to impress upon Genesis the seriousness of the situation.

"Don't you understand the danger you put yourself in last night? Lilith could _press_ _charges_ against you, Genesis. And based on the accounts from the witnesses I spoke with in the club, she stands a good chance to _win_."

"Press charges?" Genesis' tone was incredulous and dismissive. "For what- friendly conversation over a drink? That's hardly a crime."

"She told you to leave her alone and you kept pursuing her."

"You as well, huh? Look, I told Sephiroth all this last night already. Lilith was just playing hard to get like the rest of them. It's a tease game- refuse the initial offer to heighten the tension and magnify her appeal."

And he really believed that. Sephiroth had thought last night that his friend had merely been in denial about the situation, but he really and truly _believed_ that when Lilith had said no, her response had been part of some elaborate game. At first, he couldn't fathom how anyone- even Genesis- could make such an inaccurate assumption. About any woman.

 _Any woman,_ he asked himself. _What about Danita? She was_ so _outraged and claimed to want_ nothing _to do with him. Yet despite her protests to the contrary, she gladly accepted his invitation to spend a night with him._

Sephiroth had to admit that her behavior fit the pattern Genesis had described. She said one thing but meant another. And she was exactly the type of girl Genesis always went for in the past. So perhaps he _had_ been unprepared when Lilith's reaction didn't fit what he'd come to expect.

 _Even so, Genesis, that's no excuse for believing no woman_ ever _could possibly say 'no' and mean it._ He thought to lend Angeal a helping hand and bring the rising antagonism in the room away from the brink of another argument.

"Genesis," Sephiroth began in a neutral tone. "You can't measure every woman against your past experiences- no matter how vast they may be."

"This from the man who just yesterday morning believed including a woman on this mission was both a joke and a mistake. Or did I get that wrong, too?"

"You're right," he admitted reluctantly. "I said both of those things."

"And how'd you come to that conclusion, Sephiroth? I'll bet you were making a few assumptions of your own at that meeting." All very true, unfortunately, and something Sephiroth wished he could take back now. "So how can you claim to be so much wiser or better than I am?"

"Because rather than hide from my mistakes like _you_ seem to be doing, I'm inclined to take responsibility and _learn_ from them."

"How noble," Genesis practically sneered. With a nod to Angeal, he added, "You're starting to sound just like him, you know."

"Is that supposed to be an insult, Genesis?"

"Maybe it was, Angeal. Maybe it was."

They were no closer to talking sense into him than they were at the start of the conversation. Quite possibly had made things worse. Sephiroth regarded his friend carefully, troubled to see how the events of yesterday had ripped their close-knit trio apart.

 _Or maybe we weren't as close as I always thought,_ a doubt whispered in the back of his mind. _Maybe this distance has always been here and only now do we notice it._

At length, even Angeal must have admitted that they weren't going to get through to Genesis today.

"Well this has been a pointless waste of our morning."

"I couldn't agree more."

"And since you're too damned stubborn to see reason…" He sighed irritably, pointed an index finger directly at their friend and offered up one last warning. "Lilith is off-limits. Is that understood?"

"What, you expect me to…?"

"Leave her alone. Don't be anywhere near her. Don't talk to her. For the foreseeable future, the two of you should hardly be aware that the other exists."

"But supposing she wants to talk to me?"

Sephiroth fielded that one himself.

"She won't."

"She might."

"I guarantee you, Genesis, she won't."

"And I intend to speak with her, too," Angeal added. "So there's no confusion about my orders on either side."

"Such drastic lengths you're taking."

"The situation warrants it."

"If you say so, Angeal. So, are we done here? I'm sure I've got plenty to do before we return to Midgar. And sounds like you do, too."

"Yeah, we're done." Angeal stalked to the door, turned back, and repeated, "Just remember- stay _away_ from Lilith."

* * *

Zack stood in the hotel lobby with Kunsel and Luxiere, once again waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. And again, felt a sense of trepidation. More so even than he'd felt last night before they'd left for the nightclub. Worry for Lilith contributed the majority of that anxiety.

He'd never, _not ever_ , seen anyone in the sort of condition she'd been in when they got to her room last night. Granted, in battle he'd seen plenty of injuries and even death, but this had been an altogether different kind of pain.

 _I still don't know how she's managed to hide it for this long without anyone finding out._

Or how he and his two friends were supposed to help her hide it now that they knew. They had little choice now, though, since Zack hadn't brought up the migraines to Angeal and Sephiroth last night. A part of him still thought he should have; on the other hand, he agreed with Lilith's point that the 1st Classes might see them as an unwanted weakness within SOLDIER.

Fortunately, neither of their superiors had asked too many questions about Lilith last night. They'd been relatively satisfied when Zack confirmed she was in her hotel room, unharmed. In truth, Angeal had been far more pressing in his questions about what she had to say about Genesis. Rather, that she _hadn't_ said anything.

Lying was never Zack's strong suit, so finding answers to his mentor's questions that were both believable and yet as close to the truth as he could get was a challenge. But he did it. Because Lilith was his friend.

Actually, he worried far more that Luxiere would say something that would ruin everything. Their impetuous friend liked to run his mouth without thinking more often than not, and keeping secrets was _not_ his forte. Between Zack and Kunsel, though, they'd instilled enough fear in the youth to keep him quiet. He hoped, anyway.

"Do you think Lilith is awake yet," Kunsel asked.

"No idea. I sure hope so. And that she sees the note we slipped under the door about when to be downstairs."

"Ditto on both. Wouldn't want the 1st Classes to have reason to fetch her."

"If we're lucky, they'd send one of us again like last night."

"Very lucky," Luxiere muttered. "We're going to be in so much trouble for this, I know it."

"Shut up, Lux, and quit worrying about yourself for once."

He might have argued further, but the elevator doors opened. Its single occupant stepped out. Not Angeal or Sephiroth as the three of them had feared, but Lilith. She wore her uniform from yesterday and had slung her travelling pack over one shoulder. Zack noticed the dark circles under her eyes and a tight expression around her mouth, but other than that, she appeared normal.

Lilith spotted him in the nearly empty lobby and turned her steps towards their group. As she shuffled to a halt between Luxiere and Kunsel, he asked, "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Like death warmed over a soda cracker," she quipped wryly. "But I'll live."

"Is there anything that might help?"

"Coffee. Breakfast. I'm sure I'll find some of both when we get to the airship that will take us back to Midgar."

"You could try the hotel bar. I think they're open this early."

"It can wait."

"You sure?"

"Uh huh," she answered, pulling a pair of dark sunglasses from her satchel. Lilith slipped them on, eyes likely sensitive yet to the bright daylight streaming in from the lobby windows. "I'd rather not hold up our departure. The sooner we're back in Midgar, the better."

"Couldn't agree more," Luxiere attested.

Conversation lapsed into uncomfortable silence. Zack wasn't quite sure what to say, and looked to Kunsel for help. His friend cleared his throat a few times, and then gathered up the courage to ask what all three of them had wanted to know since last night.

"Lilith…what really happened with Genesis at the club?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Kunsel."

Undaunted, Kunsel tried again.

"Is _he_ the reason you came down with that migraine?"

"I said, we're not talking about it," she repeated in an icy whisper. "Now let it go."

Zack didn't blame his friend for not pursuing the topic further. Even with the sunglasses masking Lilith's eyes, he could feel the weight of her stare behind them. She said she wouldn't talk and she meant it. Not today- possibly not ever.

Another awkward pause. And before any of them could recover, the elevators opened again. Angeal, Sephiroth and Genesis emerged a second later.

 _Couldn't have picked a worse time to have them show up. I guess we'll find out if Genesis is going to be his usual obnoxious self this morning._

Judging by Genesis' demeanor, Zack wasn't quite sure either way. The smirk hovering on his lips said he wouldn't care whether Lilith wanted to talk about last night; the covert glances he kept making at Angeal and Sephiroth, however, suggested he might not be so quick to tell tales. For all their sakes, he hoped for the latter.

The trio completed the circle. Thankfully, Sephiroth took the open space next to Kunsel. Better him than Genesis. His friend was still irate about last night, and if the man dared utter a word to him about Lilith, it might spark a physical fight. One his friend would most definitely lose.

But Genesis didn't say anything. Not a single word that might provoke his friend- or Lilith, for that matter. And yet tension on both sides was no less. Palpable, even. Angeal was the first to speak, assessing the group in a no-nonsense sweep.

"Good. Everyone's here," he announced while blatantly ignoring the undercurrents in the room. "The airship departs in twenty minutes, so let's get moving. We'll be back in Midgar by this afternoon."

The opportunity was too much for Genesis, who offered a snide comment in response.

"Back to Shinra Headquarters." He cast a derisive look at Lilith. "A place for everyone and everyone in their _proper_ place."

Lilith's jaw clenched, but she refused to be baited into an argument. Angeal, meanwhile, looked as though he might gladly strangle the man for trying to start trouble.

"Mr. Rhapsodos," he admonished him sternly. "That's more than enough, and my warning to you this morning was undeniably clear."

"Oh absol _utely_."

"Out!" Angeal ordered. "Everybody out!"

 _Looks like it's going to be a rough morning for all of us,_ Zack thought with an inward sigh as he filed out of the lobby with the others. _Maybe if we're lucky, the four of us can find somewhere on the airship far away from them. Not only would it save us the aggravation, but I'm sure Angeal could use the break, too._


	10. Chapter 10: Inquisition

I stared mutely at the dark-haired man sitting opposite me. Between us the reflective surface of his desk, bereft of all clutter or anything that might suggest disarray. Although I'd never been in Angeal's office before, somehow, I had pictured his desk exactly this way. Efficient and organized. Exactly as he expected all of us to maintain our own workspaces.

 _How he'd cringe if he opened Luxiere's locker_. The one time I'd caught a glimpse, I'd been utterly appalled. A chaotic jumble of crumpled paper, discarded uniforms and other random gear. All in various degrees of cleanliness. _Well, not sure_ clean _is truly the right word there._

Those thoughts served to distract me from the growing discomfort at having been called to this room in the first place. I suspected I knew what Angeal wanted to see me about. He wanted to talk to me about the same thing everyone else did: Genesis and the nightclub. Maybe I could put off Zack and Kunsel, but disobeying a 1st Class wasn't quite so easily done.

So here I sat.

After a minute or two, I had a feeling Angeal realized that although he could summon me here, getting me to talk was a different matter. He folded his hands on the desktop.

"I'll get right to the point," he began. "It's been nearly a week since the mission to Junon, and a discussion about the events that took place is overdue."

His tone remained business-like, offering neither support nor censure. I supposed I should have been grateful that for the impartiality. But in truth, I worried that he was creating as much distance as possible before telling me that I would no longer be employed as a SOLDIER.

What else could he do? Although the details about Junon weren't widely known, the enmity between me and Genesis upon our return was no secret. Not by my design, of course. But Genesis made a big show of it whenever we happened to be in the same room. And if Angeal had to pick one of us…well, I wasn't one of the top 1st Class SOLDIERs in Shinra, was I?

 _That doesn't mean you have to give up your career without a fight,_ I told myself. _You've worked hard to get this far, so don't let some arrogant jerk take it away._ Balling my fists tightly in my lap, I struggled to keep my voice calm when I replied.

"I know that I didn't make the greatest impression during the mission, sir, but I know with a little more training I will do much better next time. If I don't prove myself after that, then I won't argue if you discharge me from SOLDIER."

Surprise. Shock, even. My speech had left Angeal completely speechless. Not the reaction I'd expected at all.

"I didn't bring you in here to dismiss you, Lilith," he answered when he'd recovered. "Actually, you fought quite well during the battle."

"Thank you, sir."

I said nothing more, not wishing to be the one to bring up what Angeal might _not_ have found so admirable about the way I'd handled myself in Junon. If he wanted to bring up Genesis he'd have to do it himself. A stance not lost on him. Angeal sighed in capitulation.

"The nightclub, Lilith. Have you nothing you want to say about it?"

 _Plenty._ I doubted any of what I truly wanted to tell him would do me any good, though.

"I've spoken with your fellow 2nd Classes about what they know of the evening." Panic lodged in my throat as I worried what all they might have said. But I leashed that fear bravely as he continued, "And I've addressed the matter with Mr. Rhapsodos. I had thought to see you much sooner for your account."

 _Keep it professional. Don't let him see that you're rattled or you'll come unglued._

"I wasn't aware you wished to see me. I assure you, sir, mistakes on that score will not be repeated. If that's the concern."

"That's not…" he caught himself, and began again in a tone I could only describe as flustered. "I had expected that _you_ would want to speak to _me_ , Lilith."

"Sir?"

Angeal studied me closely, as if trying to discern whether my confusion was genuine, or merely a clever façade. Which it _was_. I couldn't very well rant at a superior, no matter how angry I felt. Certainly not when I'd be ranting about one of his closest friends.

What he thought I was hiding, though, I couldn't say. Depending on what Genesis had told him about that night, perhaps he expected me to confess that I'd been responsible for the argument. Genesis made it very clear that evening- and the days since- that _he_ blamed me. If that's what Angeal was hoping to hear, he'd wait until the planet dried to a withered husk.

 _Even if it is partly true,_ a tiny voice in my head reminded me. The same voice that had been a constant companion since we returned from Junon. And it wasn't finished with me yet. _You never should have accepted that dance with him. Should have been firmer about not going back to the booth together, too. If you'd done at least_ one _of those things,_ none _of this would have happened._

Angeal leaned forward slightly. He unfolded his hands and laid them, palms down, on the desk.

"I realize that you may see me as less approachable than Fair or other colleagues of your rank, but I want you to know that you can talk to me. I will provide whatever help I can."

 _Help? Help with what?_

Unless he could somehow turn back time so I could choose a different course of events that evening, I wasn't quite sure what Angeal thought he could do for me. At this point, my plan was to keep a low profile where Genesis was concerned. So long as he didn't get in my face, I had no reason to go looking for more trouble that direction.

"I thank you for the offer, but I'm fine, sir."

Again with the stare, as if he didn't quite believe me. Probably not the wisest idea to lie to him; Angeal was a lightning rod when it came to divining the truth. The sooner I got free of his office, the better. Especially if I could avoid a recitation of…

"Then you won't mind providing me with your account of that evening," Angeal insisted in a no-nonsense tone.

I bit back a silent curse, as he'd just asked me for the very thing I'd been praying not to give. And as a 1st Class asking a 2nd Class, he wasn't really _asking_. We might sit in the office all morning, but before I was allowed to leave I'd be telling him what he wanted to know.

 _Better make it good, then. Keep to the facts and don't volunteer anything he doesn't ask for._

"Yes, sir. Where shall I begin?"

"Unless there's anything relevant prior to the dancefloor you'd wish to bring up, you may begin there."

And so I did. I mentioned briefly that I'd gone out there with Zack and the others, and how we'd been separated in the crowded space. Left out any mention that I'd seen them with the fangirls that had been in the booth with Angeal, skipping right to running into Genesis.

"I realize now that I should have declined. But at the time, I just didn't know how to do that without giving offense or sounding petty about the argument Mr. Rhapsodos and I had that morning."

Angeal was nodding with a slight frown, but said nothing. No surprise that he agreed that I'd been in the wrong. Hadn't I heard countless lectures on 'fraternization' during orientation and training? It didn't matter that I'd been trying to prevent further conflict. I was still wrong.

 _So there's no point in mentioning that Genesis wasn't quite taking my initial answer of 'no' seriously._

"After a bit, though, I wanted to go back to the booth to rest. I told Mr. Rhapsodos that I was fine to return alone- no need to leave the dancefloor on my account."

"But he did accompany you."

"Yes, sir."

"And did he return to the dancefloor after that?"

"No, sir. He decided to stay and ordered some wine from one of the waitresses." _Now for the difficult part._ "Mr. Hewley, sir, I did _try_ to be respectful, seeing as though he _is_ a 1st Class. But when the conversation pried into my personal life, I felt that ending the discussion was most prudent- for both of us. My responses to his inquiries became quite curt and encouraged him to cease."

Okay, so far so good. Angeal wasn't taking me to task. Not yet, anyway. But a few harsh words were one thing; striking a 1st Class in anger was another. I was sure to hear something about that.

"When telling Mr. Rhapsodos I no longer wished to continue our conversation did not work, I sought to extricate myself from the booth. If he saw my actions as disrespectful, sir, I want to be clear that it was not meant to be."

"Why do you say he would think that?"

"I was intercepted before I could leave, and the discussion escalated into an argument. I…" I sucked in a breath and let it out again, slowly. "I'm afraid that I struck Mr. Rhapsodos, sir. To be fair, though, I would not have done so if he hadn't put hands on me first."

"Put hands on you in what way? Did he strike you?"

"No, not like that. He…" I just couldn't make myself say it aloud. "Sir, it's all a misunderstanding, and I'd really rather just let it all go."

"Misunderstanding," he prompted with an eyebrow raised in query. When I didn't reply, he added, "Of what nature?"

He was my superior, and I was bound by the pledges I'd taken upon joining SOLDIER to answer. But I couldn't. I just couldn't. Jaw clenched achingly, I just stared at him in silence from across the desk.

For a long while, Angeal merely stared back. Assessing. Thinking. And then he sighed heavily.

"All right, Lilith, I think that's told me all I need to know for the time being. Unless you have anything else you wish to say."

"No, sir."

"In that case, you're dismissed." I stood, preparing for a hasty exit. Just before I reached the door to the hall, he offered one last caveat. "Should that change, please come see me. Or if I'm not available, you may bring your concerns to Sephiroth."

 _Sephiroth? Hell will freeze over before I say anything to_ him _about this_. Knowing it to be unwise to voice that thought to Angeal, I nodded to him with a tight smile.

"Yes, sir."

Once outside his office, I nearly let out an audible sigh of relief. Except that relief was short-lived. For no sooner had I shut the door behind me and turned around, there stood Sephiroth himself. Regarding me with an expression that I might call detached curiosity. He was likely here to see Angeal, but still. Why did it have to be right this second?

 _Could be worse- could be Genesis._

So very true. I held onto the polished manners that I'd been using only a moment ago. They'd last me long enough to get clear of him and then I could find Zack for our practice session.

"Excuse me, sir, I was just leaving."

He didn't respond. Not even the slightest blink. And as the seconds ticked by under his impassive stare, the urge to escape gnawed at my insides. Turned them to water. Why on earth did he have to look at me like that? Like I was a game piece- and not one he'd consider valuable.

I was about to take another step when he spoke.

"In a hurry, are you?"

 _How does he_ do _that,_ I wondered in bewilderment. The inflection of his tone, perhaps. The barest hints of amusement and subtle challenge that had me second guessing myself. A tactic I'm sure he used to his advantage quite often. _So are you going to let him get to you, or what?_

"Fair's expecting me for a training session," I answered evenly. Not letting him think he'd managed to rattle me. "I wouldn't want him to worry that I forgot."

"By all means, then. Don't let me detain you."

Was that sarcasm, or was he being sincere? I disliked that I couldn't tell. _Now's not the time to worry about it,_ I admonished myself. _Just get out of here._ I bobbed my head in a respectful nod of farewell.

"Thank you, sir."

And with that, I turned on my heel and headed in the direction of the training rooms. Could have sworn I felt his crystalline stare on my back the whole way.

* * *

He kept his eyes fixed on Lilith as she retreated down the length of the corridor. Admirable that she never glanced back, though he was sure she knew he was watching her. Once the lady turned the corner, Sephiroth shook his head and entered his friend's office. Angeal, who had been scribbling notes on a legal pad, looked up at the sound of the door opening.

"Sephiroth," he greeted him solemnly. "I'm just finishing up here, if you'll give me a minute."

"Not a problem," Sephiroth answered and took a seat. "I take it you finally met with Lilith to discuss Junon."

"It's been a week. Not a word from her about the trouble with Genesis. That's why I summoned her here. I thought perhaps if I initiated the conversation, Lilith might…"

"I'm not sure what you expected, Angeal. You said yourself a few days ago that Fair's attempts to bring up the subject have yielded nothing. Why would you have better luck?"

"You're right; I didn't. Even after I gave her leave to say anything she might want to say about that night, Lilith was no more forthcoming. She pretended to be confused at first- as if she couldn't fathom why I was asking her about it at all."

 _Which didn't sit well with you, I bet,_ Sephiroth mused.

"In the end, I had to _order_ her to give an account of that night."

"And what sort of answer did the lady give you? Was it everything you expected?"

"It was brief. Dispassionate, for the most part. As if she were telling me about something that happened to someone else. Lilith seemed more concerned about whether _she'd_ done anything wrong rather than anything Genesis did." He shook his head slowly. "Would you believe she thought I brought her here to expel her from SOLDIER?"

"News that would brighten Genesis' day, if it were at all true. He still won't admit _any_ fault for what happened."

"Don't remind me. I almost wish that she wanted to make a case out of this just to teach him a lesson."

"She's not, then."

"No. The most she would tell me was that their argument began over a 'misunderstanding'. Not anything about what it was or what exactly was said on either side. Just that it wasn't going to happen again and she preferred to let it go."

"Fortunate for our friend, indeed."

And as Angeal had just pointed out- perhaps a bit _too_ fortunate. Genesis could use a dose of reality. Sephiroth wondered why Lilith _wasn't_ pressing the issue. She'd stood her ground in everything else regarding the mission- why not this? He didn't want to admit that he found it both puzzling and troubling when she hadn't.

"I just hope that he is as easily convinced to follow her example," Angeal broke into his thoughts. "We don't need a feud tearing SOLDIER apart right now."

Now that was an understatement. Sephiroth had spent the last week in contact with various informants from Junon. So many varying reports from each about the appearance of the Leviathan…and the Oceanus. Although he couldn't yet prove it, Sephiroth was almost certain that the two were connected.

What was worse, sightings of the pair had been reported as far as Mideeal before they had set upon attacking Junon. Never close enough to shore to warrant taking action, but enough to cause the loss of several merchant vessels in the area. He'd sent inquiries to other costal cities to find out if they had similar stories, but had yet to hear back.

 _Not to mention left specific orders that further sightings should be forwarded immediately to Shinra Headquarters,_ he added with a frown. Because a sixth sense was telling him that whatever this was…it wasn't over yet. Someone was behind the terror and mayhem, and Junon was only the beginning.

So no, the last thing they needed was a schism within SOLDIER. Dealing with this threat- whatever it might be- was going to require a concerted effort. Undivided focus.

"Did you find anything more about the Leviathan?"

 _Speaking of focus, I guess I ought to keep mine on the conversation._

"I've heard far more than I like," he admitted. "Too much of it information we should have had before we even went to Junon, in my opinion."

"Was it a matter of poor timing on the Mayor's part," Angeal queried thoughtfully. He must have caught Sephiroth's expression. "Or…something else?"

"Like he deliberately omitted key information from his reports to Shinra? Yes, I've had thoughts along those lines more than once these past few days. I just can't see how he couldn't have known."

"I don't like the feel of this, Sephiroth."

"Nor I. Because while I suspect he participated in what amounts to a cover-up, the Mayor is no mastermind. You saw for yourself that he wasn't even a mental match for a 2nd Class SOLDIER during the debrief in his office."

"Point taken. You think he's a pawn in someone else's game, then?"

"Almost certainly."

"Any thoughts on whose?"

"None I feel confident enough mentioning just yet, but when I do, trust me, friend, you'll be among the first to know."

For a minute or two, Angeal mulled over what he'd said, hands cupped at the back of his head as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Any part of your plans call for sending a 1st Class away from Midgar for a while? Might solve two problems at once."

"I'm afraid not. At least not at the moment."

"What about a few 2nd Classes?"

"If you're trying to send Lilith away, I'm sure you could find an assignment that would do the job credibly."

"I could, yes. A rotation out to the WRO Base is overdue, but it's little more than a desk job. And after the Oceanus…"

Far better to keep the lady at Headquarters training with Fair and the other two. Sephiroth couldn't deny that she was proving herself to be a capable SOLDIER. Curiosity peaked after the battle in Junon, he'd reviewed several of her sessions this week. He hadn't been disappointed.

Lilith was by no means as skilled as her dark-haired friend, but in six months to a year…she might be. _She has the drive to do it._ If the logs for the training rooms were any indication, the woman did little else with her time from dawn to dusk. Or even later. Training in the simulation rooms at all hours of the night after everyone else had gone.

 _Drive is one thing; one might be tempted to call this an obsession._ Not that he considered it a bad thing. To reach a goal, single-minded dedication paid off sometimes. _And sometimes it doesn't. I guess only time will tell in this case._

"No," Sephiroth agreed finally. "Perhaps not the right move to make."

"I guess we're stuck for the time being. No solution for either of our problems."

"Then I guess I'd best be going- see if I can make some progress on mine at least. I'll see you around, Angeal."

"Yeah- see you, Sephiroth."

* * *

Zack had been waiting for almost fifteen minutes, and still no sign of Lilith. Wasn't like her to forget a training session, and he checked his phone to see if she'd left a message. She hadn't. So what was keeping her?

Just as he thought to try calling Lilith's cell, the door slid open and she strode into the room. _No smile again,_ Zack noticed. _What a surprise._

Lilith never smiled anymore. Granted, she had always been the serious type. But she would still smile and joke around with him and their friends. Lately- okay, since they'd come back from Junon- any traces of humor had vanished. And while they were all still _friends_ , Lilith felt…distant.

"I was just about to call you," he said while she tied her hair up in a bun so it would be out of the way.

"Yeah, sorry I was late. Mr. Hewley insisted upon a meeting. I came straight here once that was done."

Zack could guess what that meeting was about. Genesis. From the tone of her voice, he doubted Lilith told Angeal much of anything. Maybe not even if he'd issued a direct order. Either way, she wasn't at all happy about the discussion.

Zack didn't expect her to answer him as he asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Sure."

"Because you don't _seem_ okay…"

"Zack, I'm _fine_."

And that was a lie. Question was- did he call her on it? He gauged the warning look in her eyes. _I think not_ , Zack sighed, and gave up. No sense getting into a verbal fight when they were about to cross weapons. One battle at a time.

"All right, then. You want to pick up where we left off yesterday?"

Lilith nodded, and approached the center of the room with her sword in hand. As with any training session, they began this one with a series of warm-ups. Forms and moves designed to prepare the mind and body for the more difficult techniques they'd be working on today.

Newer SOLDIERs- and even some not so new ones- sometimes thought the warm-ups were a waste of time and tried to skip them. Always ended in injury. Once or twice, so grave as to end a SOLDIER's career. All the better that Lilith never took to that way of thinking.

 _Not that she would ever be the kind to cut corners._

"So what's the plan for today," she queried once they'd finished with the exercises.

"Try not to groan too loudly over this one," he replied teasingly and held up a length of black material. "But we've put this off long enough as it is."

As expected, Lilith regarded him with no small amount of dismay. To her credit, though, she didn't protest all that loudly.

"Blindfolds. It just had to be blindfolds today, didn't it?"

"As opposed to what other day? If I let you have your way, you'd never use them."

"When am I _ever_ going to be blindfolded in a battle? Seriously. When does that happen?"

"Hopefully never, Lilith, but that's not the point of the exercise. Here, you'll want to tie this in place. Unless you'd rather I-"

"I've got it," she cut in before he could finish. Lilith reached for the blindfold and secured it over her eyes. While she did so, she asked, "So what _is_ the point of all this, then?"

"You need to learn how to fight without waiting for your eyes to assess the situation. Sometimes you don't have that luxury, and need to react on instinct and muscle memory. I've found no better way to help develop those skills."

A lecture Zack had heard often- and given often. He hoped that Lilith would find it compelling. If not, she'd just have to make her own peace with this, because all 2nd Class SOLDIERs trained with blindfolds. She'd be no exception.

"All right. I guess that makes sense enough."

"Glad to hear it. So you're sure you've got it tight? Don't want it slipping while you're working."

"It'll hold."

"Then go ahead and raise your sword- basic fighting stance."

"Mkay."

Guiding with the sound of his voice, Zack set her through a series of parries and feints against him. Nothing too aggressive or fast. The aim of the lesson wasn't to get her injured, or that either of them would rout the other. It took most SOLDIERs years to master the skill enough to truly fight with their vision handicapped.

Lilith struggled at first, always a half-step slower than she needed to be to meet his blade. Their weapons clashed perilously close to her inside guard more often than not. To be expected. She was still thinking too much on the loss of her sight- wasn't paying attention to what else she had to compensate for it.

After she nearly missed what Zack felt was an easy strike to anticipate, he lost a bit of his patience.

"Lilith, _ears_!"

"What about them?"

"You need to be _using_ them. Listen for the sound of my weapon as it's passing through the air. Use that information to guide where you should bring yours up to meet it."

"How in the hell am I supposed to do that," she growled in consternation. "It's almost impossible to hear the sound at all, much less to know what direction it's moving."

Lilith's discouragement was plain, and she lowered her sword. With her free hand, she pushed the blindfold to her hairline. Judging by the look in her eye, she was on the verge of giving up on the lesson. A rare occasion. Zack couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten this frustrated. Not since she was still a 3rd Class, probably.

Giving her a pointed look, he answered firmly, "With practice."

"It's no use. I'm…"

"Going to put that back on and get back to work."

For a second or two, Lilith's jaw hung slack. Shocked at the authoritative command in his tone, no doubt. Zack rarely used it- especially with his friends- but he wasn't going to let her back out of this because she didn't excel right away. He hoped she understood that he was only tough on her because they _were_ friends.

She studied him for a long time before the glare left her expression. Lilith let out a tiny sigh of capitulation.

"Oh fine then. We'll keep at it." The blindfold was slipped back into place as she continued wryly, "But I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you on the chance I'll pick up this skill."

"Maybe not today," he agreed. "But you'll get it, Lilith."

"We'll see, I guess. Won't we?"

They started again. And while Lilith's reaction time still lagged behind the overall pace he'd set, she was doing a little better than before. By the end of a half hour, Zack decided they'd made enough progress to call it a day. He lowered his weapon.

"That'll do it for today, I think. You can take that off now."

Lilith untied the knot and drew the swath of black away from her eyes. When she made move to hand it over, he waved her back.

"You hold onto that. We'll need it again in a few days for the next session."

"Oh, okay."

He glanced at his phone, making note of the time. Half past eleven.

"Hey Lilith," he spoke up as she was packing up her gear.

"Hmm?"

"It's almost noon- Kunsel, Lux and I were going out for lunch. You want to join us?"

Her hands stilled as she considered the offer. Briefly. He couldn't help being disappointed when she shook her head.

"I brought lunch with me today. But thanks, anyway."

"Tomorrow, then?"

"Well I dunno…"

Zack crossed the room, putting himself between her and the door to the hall beyond when she made a move towards it.

"What did we do, Lilith?"

"I beg your pardon," she asked in genuine confusion.

"Ever since we got back from Junon, you have avoided any invitation to hang out with us. I get you being angry with Genesis, but what did the three of us do? Whatever it was, we'll fix it."

"I'm not angry with any of you."

"Then why? Why put us off all the time and keep to yourself?"

"It's not like that."

"Yeah, it is."

She ducked around him, pressing a hand on the door. Zack almost thought she wouldn't reply, but then she sighed.

"Look, it's nothing personal against anyone. Certainly not against any of you. I just think it's best that I keep things more-" A bitter smile hovered on her lips before she finished her sentence- "professional…from now on."

That said, Lilith slipped out of the room. Zack watched her go, but didn't attempt to catch up. Best to leave her be for now. At least he knew what was going on, though he didn't like it one bit.

 _This is all Genesis' doing. And for all Sephiroth and Angeal's promises, I don't see that anything's been done to make him responsible for how he acted in Junon._

A point he might bring up next time he spoke with his mentor when they were alone. Soon, too. Because Kunsel was still livid, and Zack didn't know how much longer he'd keep that anger under wraps. So far they'd been lucky, since Genesis had kept his distance from any of them.

 _If he dares make another snide comment like he did that morning we left Junon, though, I dunno._ He shook himself out of those thoughts, and tried to focus on a problem he could solve. At least he hoped so.

When he and the guys were together over lunch, he'd tell them what Lilith had just said. Maybe the three of them could think of something to change her mind.

 _There has to be a way we can all be friends again_ , he told himself determinedly. _The way we were before._


	11. Chapter 11: Repercussions

"While I understand your efforts to be thorough regarding the Junon incident- admirable, of course- the decision is final, Sephiroth."

Director Lazard sat back in his chair and regarded him with an infuriating level of calm. Usually, Sephiroth would have no trouble maintaining the same level of detachment. Not today. Not when he was told- _ordered_ , actually- to call off his investigation. Just when he'd been receiving new information that might shed light on the matter.

Two weeks of culling reports and mining information from coastal cities. Three in total when he included the preliminary inquiries he'd made in the first week back from Junon. All for nothing, it would seem.

 _The hell it is,_ he argued with a silent glare.

This was not at all how he'd envisioned this meeting when he'd gotten a message to see Lazard. Quite the opposite. He'd expected to be given additional resources and whatever else he required to bring down the conspirators behind the attack. And when he'd seen Angeal and Genesis in the Director's office, how could he have expected any other outcome?

Sephiroth shot an assessing glance to both of his friends to judge their reactions to this news. The withering scowl on Angeal's face indicated that he felt just as strongly opposed to Lazard's order as he did. As to Genesis…he looked wholly unconcerned. Rather, as if he were enjoying at the idea Sephiroth might be thwarted.

 _Still pouting that I've not forgiven you for that mess in Junon, are you?_

He paid Genesis' irksome attitude no mind while he prepared to do battle with Lazard. Never lost a fight; he wasn't about to start now.

"I regret that I cannot accept that decision."

"You don't have much of a choice."

"You're right- I don't. Not when I see reports like these," he retorted as he tossed a sheaf of eye-witness statements from Banora- of boats gone missing and strange activity in its harbors. "What would you have me tell them? That we're just giving up because some boardroom executive says so?"

Lazard said nothing, but he examined the top few pages over the rims of his blue-tinted glasses. From this angle, the overhead lights hid his reaction behind a near-opaque glare. A few times, though, a twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed inner conflict. Sephiroth almost thought he had beaten him, but the man shook his head reluctantly.

"Insufficient evidence."

"Insufficient? In what possible way? People from Banora are _disappearing_ if they venture too far from land."

On hearing the name of his hometown mentioned, Genesis' self-satisfied smirk faded. He reached for the reports that Lazard had discarded, skimming the first few with far more concern than he'd shown up to now.

 _That's right, Genesis. Not so funny when your own kin might be threatened, is it? Maybe now you'll finally see that this is a bigger deal than your ego war over Lilith._

"It's a matter that the local government can handle, and isn't a Shinra responsibility," Lazard stated perfunctorily.

 _Madness. Sheer madness to take that attitude. What can Shinra be thinking?_

"If we take that stance now," Sephiroth argued, "We're inviting our enemies- whoever they are- to creep even closer to our front doorstep. And how much stronger will they be then? Why even give them that chance?"

At this point, Angeal spoke up to lend his support alongside Sephiroth.

"With all due respect, sir, wouldn't it be more prudent to keep an eye on the situation for a while longer until we're sure the threat has been eradicated?"

"It is Shinra's belief that no credible threat remains."

Sephiroth didn't miss the way Lazard's gaze strayed to the papers lying on his desk. Perhaps the higher ups in dusty board rooms thought so, but he wasn't quite so convinced. Precisely what he'd wanted to achieve in showing him the reports. Lazard's sympathy for the downtrodden and less fortunate of Midgar was well known; surely he'd be similarly moved by the plight of Banora's citizens.

An accurate calculation on Sephiroth's part. Playing to the man's sympathies had proved marginally successful. But however much Lazard might empathize, it would seem he was still unwilling to break from the official answer mandated by his supervisors. He continued with his negative answer in a solemn tone.

"Furthermore, I would like to point out that this decision does not come solely from above. Several letters of protest have arrived from local government officials- from Junon in particular- regarding your investigation."

 _Fueled by the Mayor, no doubt, and likely coming directly from his own office._ Sephiroth held back that sarcastic retort. _All the more reason not to back down now. Only a man with something to hide has a reason to protest. So Shinra should want to know exactly what that might be._

Affecting an unconcerned air, he queried, "Claiming what, exactly?"

"Ostensibly, of veiled accusations that government officials may have something to do with the Leviathan attacks."

The barest of smiles hovered on Sephiroth's lips. So the half-witted excuse for a mayor had puzzled that out, had he? Or far more likely, someone else had done it for him. Good. He wanted the instigators to know he was onto their game, and that he was coming to find them. To Lazard, he began with a less inflammatory response.

"I would hardly call it _accusing_. I merely pointed out a series of glaring omissions in the reports we received prior to the mission."

"You are a SOLDIER, Sephiroth, and Shinra needs your skills in the field," Lazard explained. Perhaps he thought he sounded patient, but to Sephiroth, the tone was dangerously close to patronizing. "If you have concerns about the cooperation received from local officials, you're expected to bring them to the company for investigation."

So he was good enough to deal with Shinra's enemies, but not to identify them. Little more than a trained dog who was expected to obey as directed. Resentment burned in the back of his throat, and Sephiroth was sure his expression bespoke his dissatisfaction with Lazard's speech. The man coughed lightly, shuffling the stack of papers.

"I will certainly pass on these reports from Banora. If they point to a credible threat, we'll speak again about whether Shinra can spare a few 2nd Classes to take care of the matter."

Lazard considered the meeting closed, and was about to dismiss them from his office. Unacceptable. Wholly unacceptable. Impatience heated the edges of Sephiroth's rejoinder, and he found himself speaking more freely than he'd intended.

"That's it, is it? And in the meantime, what does Shinra expect us to do while they're wasting time dancing around the whims of politics? Nothing?"

"The Junon mission is closed. Keep to your training until you receive your next assignment."

Never had he harbored such an intense dislike for this man. In fact, they'd always had a relatively cordial working relationship. Sephiroth had thought that despite his position as Director, Lazard understood what it was to be in SOLDIER. In the trenches, as it were.

Until today.

This conversation had pitted them against one another. Bitter it was to see the line drawn in the sand. Lazard embodied Shinra's bureaucracy, and would side with them, even when he knew they were wrong. Shaking that decision required drastic measures. Or careful planning. Likely both.

And as Sephiroth was prepared with neither of those weapons in his arsenal today, he conceded the temporary setback. But it was _temporary_. Sephiroth did _not_ lose. When he had what he needed to win, he'd be back. Surely Lazard understood that much.

He rose from his seat, never breaking eye contact. On his left, Angeal stood as well, followed by a somewhat reluctant Genesis. The blonde-haired man on the other side of the desk remained seated. Lazard acknowledged their intent to depart, polite but firm.

"I want to thank the three of you for your time this afternoon. And while I regret that the discussion has reached what appears to be an impasse, I expect you'll come to agree that this decision is for the good of Shinra- and the planet as a whole."

 _You may hope so, Lazard, but I won't have any regrets when you're the one made to change his mind._

Aloud, Sephiroth merely answered coolly, "The good of the planet, yes. We shall keep those words in mind." With a glance to Angeal, he added, "I believe we have training to see to, if I'm not mistaken. So we'll take our leave, Director Lazard."

"Good day, gentlemen."

* * *

The three of them filed out of Lazard's office and into the hallway. Sephiroth took point. No surprise there. He strode purposefully down the corridor in the direction of Angeal's office. Intending to discuss Lazard's decision about the Junon investigation, Genesis figured.

 _Because we all know_ that _subject is far from closed,_ he concluded with an inward sigh. _Knowing Sephiroth, he plans to take on Lazard and the Shinra executives. And will want to drag the two of us into the fight with him._

Well, Angeal, at the very least. He couldn't say whether Sephiroth would include him in any plans. They hadn't been on the friendliest terms these past few weeks. Since Junon.

 _I still don't see why he took_ her _side over mine._

But take sides Sephiroth had. Lecturing him as much- or _more_ \- than Angeal about how he'd been in the wrong that night, and how _lucky_ he was that Lilith let the subject drop. Like she'd done him a favor. As far as Genesis was concerned, she was just proving his point.

Attempts to convince his friends of that fact had not gone well at all. Disastrous, even. The three of them hadn't gone out as a group since the mission, and they scarcely spoke to him at work. Ostracized. Genesis glared sullenly at the backs of the two men he'd called his friends, resentful to be so easily judged in the wrong.

Lurking just behind the resentment, a churning mix of other emotions threatened to throw him off-stride. Guilt. Hurt. Anxiety. Genesis tried his best to ignore those and the confusion they stirred up in him. Most times it worked; only the occasional sleepless night hinted at the unease dogging his heels. Those nights when he began to second-guess himself.

Genesis fought back the only way he knew how, and redirected his thoughts back to his anger against his friends. If Angeal and Sephiroth weren't half so wrapped up in rules and regulations, this difference of opinion wouldn't exist. And neither would those disturbing times a tiny part of him wondered if they were right. So really, all of this was _their_ fault.

 _They're so damned determined to see me as the bad guy, are they?_ Just that easily, his budding doubts withered under the blaze of temper. Genesis considered how he might pay them back. Nothing too nefarious, of course. Just enough to prove a point. An idea came to him. _Seems to me that having a bit of fun with the 2_ _nd_ _Classes would do the trick._

As per Angeal's warning, he'd left Lilith and her little friends alone for the past three weeks. Okay, that wasn't _entirely_ true. He couldn't resist the occasional jibe when one or the other was sure to overhear. Times like yesterday, when he'd found Kunsel in the lounge- alone.

Of any of the 2nd Classes, his reactions were the most satisfying. The other two didn't get nearly as riled. More self-control on Fair's side; a lack of brains on the part of his friend. That wasn't to say that Kunsel lost his temper enough to say or do anything. But unlike the others, he couldn't hide that he wanted to.

 _Far more interesting than any reaction I've gotten from the Lady herself, that's for sure._

The rare times they'd interacted since Junon left much to be desired. Lilith was a polite, distant wall. If she addressed him at all, she used his rank or surname. And no matter how closely he skated the border between banter and insult, her tone remained flat and impassive. No trace at all of the temper she'd thrown at him before- or during- the mission in Junon.

 _I just haven't found the right angle yet,_ Genesis told himself. He would, though, no mistake about that. _And when I_ do _figure out how to crack Lilith's serene façade, I'll make her sorely regret having played games with me. But in the meantime…I think I'll have some fun at Kunsel's expense._

They arrived at Angeal's office door. Genesis set those thoughts aside for later this evening. Right now, he needed to focus on the fallout from the meeting with Lazard. As much as he'd rather just keep walking and leave the matter to Angeal and Sephiroth, he couldn't afford to be in the dark about what they decided.

 _I'm still a SOLDIER 1_ _st_ _Class- one of the best. Personal disagreement aside, we still have to work together. No one is going to blame_ me _if we can't._

The door closed behind him. The three of them stood around the desk in silence, until Angeal volunteered to begin the discussion by offering his opinion.

"So that didn't go well at all, did it?"

"That's putting it mildly," Sephiroth deadpanned. "I tell you both that ignoring this matter will spell disaster. And not just for Shinra."

"Nevertheless, Lazard's issued an order."

"Correction- he's passed on an order he received from above."

"It's still an order. We have to let this one go." Angeal paused, an anxious frown creasing his brow as he looked at their friend. "Sephiroth, you _are_ letting this go, aren't you?"

"I most certainly am not."

"And what about the complaints from Junon? If you press on with this, Lazard and the board executives are going to hear more of that. I'd expect a lot worse than a lecture if he calls you into his office again."

Genesis couldn't resist the tiniest smile as he replayed the meeting with Lazard. The mighty Sephiroth. Lectured as if he were no better than a 3rd Class. Occurrences like that didn't happen every day. Or ever. And some part of Genesis found it perversely amusing.

Sephiroth must have caught a glimpse of his expression, and glared at him.

"Something funny, Genesis?"

"Nothing at all," he replied glibly.

"Good to hear, because I would think you of any of us has the most to lose if this threat goes unaddressed."

A sobering point that ended Genesis' amusement very abruptly. He could hardly ignore the alarm that had gripped him when he'd heard Banora mentioned earlier. Made even worse, he admitted, when he'd skimmed over the reports. His hometown. People he knew- _his family_ \- facing a very real and very ominous danger.

For them, he could set this feud with Sephiroth on ice. At least so long as they stuck to discussing work. If the subject of Lilith and her three friends came up…well, Genesis had his limits.

To Sephiroth, he answered sharply, "You think I don't know that?"

"I was beginning to wonder if you noticed anything that didn't offer to warm your bed."

"Why you…!"

"There's no need to go into any of that- either of you," Angeal interrupted, attempting to prevent an argument. He glared slightly at Sephiroth, who seemed unconcerned at the nonverbal rebuke. "We have work to do."

"I was just remarking how surprised I was to hear our friend is aware of the seriousness of the situation."

"Yeah, well- don't. If you're determined to circumvent Lazard's orders about this investigation, we're going to need to work as a team. We can't do that if you two are at each other's throats half the time."

 _Well, well…who would have thought Angeal would be my biggest ally in all this?_ Straight-laced Angeal who lived and breathed regulations and policy. Not only was he suggesting they drop the subject of Lilith, but he was also contemplating disobeying a direct order. _I would have thought snow would fall in the desert first._

But support him Angeal had, and Sephiroth conceded his point with an indolent shrug.

"Fair enough."

Not the most definitive of answers he could have given, but a tacit agreement to let the matter lie for the time being. One that left no doubt that he still held the upper hand, and that he could just as easily choose not to be so amenable. With difficulty, Genesis held back a sarcastic retort that would have reopened their argument in earnest.

 _For my family,_ he reminded himself. _Save this for a time when fighting each other won't come at such a high cost._

"Genesis?" Angeal queried. "Are we in agreement?"

He threw Sephiroth one last hard look before replying with a heated snarl, "If we're going to fight about something, I'd rather make it worthwhile. Let's gut these sons of bitches- whoever they are."

For the first time in weeks, the smile on his friend's face was absent its typical cutting acerbity. Might go so far as to say it was genuine. Even his answer bespoke approval.

"I couldn't agree more. And I have just the plan…"

* * *

Late evening. I walked the empty corridors, headed for the lounge. Most SOLDIERs would be gone at this hour, preferring to spend their off hours on the town or resting up for another day's work. Maybe a few stragglers finishing up. Usually, that meant free practice time in the simulation rooms.

Not tonight; I had other plans.

Armed with a short stack of books, I intended to spend the new few hours reading. I clutched them closely, guarding the titles against a rare passerby. Didn't need any nosy questions about the subject of my study. Which was why I'd chosen not to drag them out earlier.

Since the battle at Junon, I'd taken it upon myself to look for any texts I could find about forging Materia and the art of using it to summon creatures. As a 3rd Class, I'd used some basic Materia- mostly ice and bolt spells. Not so much now that I was a 2nd Class. A shame, really. Working with the elemental energy had been interesting.

I was determined to brush up on my knowledge on the subject. The days ahead promised trouble; I knew in my gut that Junon was only the beginning. And disaster with Genesis aside, SOLDIER might have need of me to fight against whatever was coming. So I figured I ought to be prepared to face it.

 _No matter how difficult it is to learn about the nature of Mako and Materia._

I'd scoured many an archive just to find the few books currently in my possession, and getting the curators to part with them had been quite the challenge. Even temporarily. I got the feeling my inquiries made them nervous. As if under some dread surveillance determined to keep the information secret.

 _And we all know how much Shinra likes keeping secrets, don't we? I'll bet they're what everyone's so worried about._

Meaning I probably ought to have been more cautious in my search. If fear of reprisal from Shinra _was_ the source of the reticence to share these texts, then I had very likely made myself a liability. Not a good thing to do if I wished to remain alive. Troublemakers tended to disappear very quickly…and oftentimes under suspicious circumstances.

I had no desire to join their numbers. But I wasn't about to ignore what I saw as a pressing need to understand just how much danger could be aimed to strike at the planet, either. So here I was, pushing on to learn what I could.

Alone.

Zack and the others knew absolutely nothing of this. Not only did I suspect they would try to dissuade me from pressing on with it, I just didn't want to get them involved unless I had no choice. No sense in getting all four of us expelled from SOLDIER. Or worse- _killed_. They were already risking enough by not reporting my migraines to the 1st Classes. I couldn't ask them to do any more than that.

So _hopefully_ the three of them were already gone from Headquarters. Kunsel had tried to invite me out with them earlier, but I'd politely declined. He was no happier about it than Zack had been when I'd said no to lunch last week.

Both of them had tried- unsuccessfully- to include me in social engagements outside of work. Even Luxiere had made an offer or two. I remained firm in my decision; no interaction outside of work. Period. No further misunderstandings.

Easier said than done, though. Zack's constant prodding threatened to weaken my resolve on a daily basis. Worse than him, though…Kunsel. He rarely _said_ anything, but the look on his face spoke volumes. Frustration. Worry. And if Genesis happened to be around, anger- the depth of which surprised me.

I didn't dare ask him why he was still so upset with the 1st Class. Doing so would have opened the door to letting him ask me about the whole affair. I was curious, but not _that_ curious.

Deep in my own thoughts, I didn't hear the sound of a door opening just ahead of me. I did notice, however, when the trio of 1st Classes stepped out into the hallway. They now blocked my path, and my feet skidded to a halt. _Damn, what rotten luck,_ I cursed inwardly. Luckily, their backs were to me at the moment. So maybe if they just kept walking, they wouldn't realize I was here.

Sephiroth must have heard some noise that betrayed my presence, and turned slightly in my direction. The other two followed suit, and now three pair of eyes bored into me with the impact of a spotlight. Make that _three_ spotlights.

 _Double damn. So now what do I do?_

Genesis looked like he might say something, but Angeal spoke up first.

"The hour is late, Lilith. You ought to join your fellow 2nd Classes and take time to rest."

A not-so-subtle way of telling me to leave. And if I hadn't misheard, a rebuke that I hadn't already done so. I tried not to take it personally. I sensed it wasn't that Angeal didn't want _me_ here, but rather that he didn't want _anyone_ here. In _this_ hallway. At _this_ particular time.

 _I wonder what they were discussing in his office that he didn't want overheard. No idea._ As Zack would say- it's the business of 1st Classes and if I'm meant to know, they'd tell me. Never stopped me from asking the question. To myself, anyway. Wouldn't dream of posing it aloud.

"I was just on my way to the lounge, sir," I replied dutifully.

He said nothing at first. I shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. The lounge was at the other end of the hallway, so if I wanted to get there, I'd have to pass through them. Not exactly something I looked forward to doing. But before I'd plucked up enough courage to move, Sephiroth nodded at the books I was holding.

"Planning to do a little reading, are you?"

 _Oh…why?_ This unexpected meeting was getting worse by the second. I glanced down just to be sure the titles were still well concealed. They were. _That's something, at least._

"Yes, sir. Evening is a good time for it- very quiet."

I held my breath and prayed that none of them would ask me about my choice of literary subject; I was almost certain Sephiroth would. Not necessarily because he _cared_ , but because as a 1st Class, he had every right to be informed. And as a 2nd Class, I would be obligated to answer such a request.

After a few agonizing minutes under that perceptive stare, Sephiroth returned his attention to Angeal and said, "We have delayed long enough." _As if it's_ my _fault,_ my thoughts interjected sullenly. "And best be on our way."

"Oh but surely we-"

"Are leaving," Angeal agreed quickly. "Right now."

"But-"

" _No,_ Genesis." Whatever protest he'd been about to make was cut short by the authoritative tone in Sephiroth's voice. Then the commander tipped a brief nod to me, "A good evening to you, Lilith."

"Thank you, sir."

They made no move to leave. After an awkward minute of waiting for them to do so, I realized they were doing the same. Obviously waiting for me to take my leave first. _Looks like I'm going to have to pass through, after all,_ I complained to myself. Gritting my teeth in determination, I forced my feet to move forward.

As I approached, Angeal stepped back to let me pass by. I looked neither left nor right- just kept walking with my eyes focused on the lounge door. Out of the corner of my eye, though, I caught their varied expressions.

Genesis' came as no surprise; he was itching for a reason to speak to me. Likely for another of his spiteful jibes. But since Angeal was glowering at him sternly, Genesis wisely kept his mouth shut. And Sephiroth…he paid little attention to his friend beside him. Again, I got the feeling he was assessing me. Just as he had been since the week following Junon.

 _Disconcerting. Every time._

I still wasn't sure what his scrutiny meant, or whether it boded well for me. A month ago, I might have hoped to draw the notice of the 1st Classes after a mission like Junon. As a _fighter_. But that hadn't gone quite as planned- no thanks to Genesis. The club disaster had put my gender ahead of my skills as a SOLDIER.

As a result, Genesis saw me as another conquest; whereas Angeal and Sephiroth saw me as a complication. If I had to choose between anonymity and _that_ mess, I'd choose the former. But since I _didn't_ , I could only do my best to pretend I was unaware of their attention.

Fortunately for me, by the time I'd run through those thoughts, I'd reached the lounge. Didn't look behind me to see if the trio were still watching me; didn't want to know. I simply opened the door and let myself inside, grateful to see the room empty of any occupants.

 _Alone at last,_ I thought with no small amount of relief. _Now to get researching while there's still a few hours left in the day._

* * *

The waitress brought them another round, setting the pint glasses on the tabletop with a saucy wink. Luxiere tipped his nearly empty glass in her direction with a broad grin; he'd been flirting with the curvy brunette all evening in hopes to get her number. No luck this time.

 _Better luck next time, friend,_ Kunsel mused as he reached for an ale.

Beside him, Zack did the same. The three of them had only just arrived a half hour ago. A good thing they had come early, too. The work week had ended, and the tavern was already crowded with locals looking to enjoy their few days off. Kunsel was hoping to do the same, though he couldn't help feeling dejected that Lilith hadn't come along.

Again.

As if reading his thoughts, Zack leaned over and asked in a loud voice, "So what was her excuse _this_ time?"

"Same as always," he answered sourly, bringing the tankard to his lips. After he'd set it down again, he continued, "She had plans- more simulated battles, I'm guessing- for the evening."

"Guessing?"

"Lilith wasn't all that clear _what_ she was working on, just that she had plans. I wasn't in the mood to fight with her about just what that meant. Probably couldn't get her to tell me, anyway. So just as well I don't ask."

The words came out bitter, but Kunsel didn't care. For three weeks, he'd had to watch Lilith retreat ever further away from him. _From all of us,_ he amended. She was acting more and more like she had in the early days. Withdrawn and impersonal- no chance at letting anyone close enough to see who she was behind that protective wall.

He, Zack and Luxiere had spent _years_ of chipping away at that blockade. And it had begun to pay off. Lilith had slowly let down her guard. She might not go to taverns with them, but gladly spent time hanging out at work. Hell, they might have convinced Lilith to join them today if things hadn't gone so horribly wrong in Junon.

But they had.

Now Lilith spent most of her days alone, logging time in the simulation rooms; she almost never practiced with him anymore- or even Zack. And in between training sessions, she seemed to all but disappear. Rarely came into the lounge or anyplace she might encounter other SOLDIERs.

They were no closer to drawing her out again than they were two weeks ago when she'd told Zack her reasons. His friend had tried numerous times to talk to Lilith about it, and always met a dead end. She wouldn't budge. Kunsel admired Zack's efforts all the same.

He found he couldn't bring up the subject with her at all; he was still far too angry. Any conversation between them would escalate into a heated argument, and Kunsel worried what he might say. That he'd accidentally reveal too much of his feelings- doomed as they might be.

Kunsel didn't kid himself that the disaster with Genesis had ruined his chances there. Long before this, he'd already known that Lilith didn't see him in that way. But the 1st Class had robbed him of what he _did_ have with her. Reason enough to resent the man; Kunsel hated him.

Not for the friendships Genesis had rent apart. For the suffering Lilith had endured on his account. Kunsel swore he'd never forget the sight of her, lying on the hotel room floor in the throes of that migraine. Even if she would never admit it to any of them, he knew the encounter with Genesis had triggered it.

"You're thinking about Junon again, aren't you," Zack stated quietly. Or at least as quiet as one could be in the crowded tavern. "I know that look well enough to know what it means."

"So what if I am?"

"You have to let it go, man. Carrying all that anger around is going to eat you up inside, and it's not going to help fix things with Lilith."

Zack was right, of course. But Kunsel wasn't interested in taking his advice just yet. Felt like basking in the black mood that stole upon him, actually. So he merely shrugged and polished off the rest of his drink. Just as he was scanning the room for the waitress, he heard Luxiere's tense whisper.

"Oh no."

"What?"

His friend shook his head slightly, gaze still fixed on the front entrance of the building. And since he and Zack had their backs to it, Kunsel could only guess what Luxiere must have seen. Dread filled the young man's eyes. _I guess I'll find out for myself soon enough_.

A shadow fell across the table. Kunsel flicked an irritated glance to whomever had caused it, hardly caring whether he gave any offense.

 _Genesis,_ he remarked with a brittle inward laugh. An uncharacteristic show of perverse amusement, but entirely fitting for the situation. _Who else?_

Both Zack and Luxiere appeared tongue-tied at the unexpected arrival of the 1st Class. Kunsel was not afflicted with the same malady, and injected a hint of boredom in his tone when he queried, "Is there something you wanted here, Rhapsodos?"

On his left, he heard Zack mutter a curse under his breath. No doubt thinking of the lecture they'd get tomorrow from Angeal for this lapse of military respect. Kunsel didn't care. Genesis didn't seem to care much about respecting anyone else, so he wasn't in the mood to pretend he deserved any. His attitude was not lost on the brown-haired man standing beside their booth.

"Not a very friendly greeting, I must say."

"We're not friends."

Luxiere's mouth hung open to hear him put the truth so bluntly. Truth it was, though. The incident in Junon set aside, Genesis wasn't a friend to them. Never would be. Not even if they were advanced to 1st Class tomorrow. Wouldn't change a thing.

"It's a wonder you've any friends at all with a sullen disposition like that," Genesis commented airily. A sly look flashed in his eye before he added, "Perhaps you'd have more luck with the Lady if you tried a bit more charm. Or perhaps not. She has a certain lack of follow through, I've found."

Kunsel was on his feet in an instant, standing toe-to-toe with the 1st Class. Well and truly furious at the insinuation about Lilith, he was close to shoving him. But he reined in the desire, settling for a menacing glare as he demanded, "Take it back."

Genesis seemed little fazed by his anger- was, in fact, amused by it. He smirked to himself, arms crossed.

"Take what back? I'm only stating a fact. It's not my fault you take exception to it."

"A fact?" Kunsel repeated incredulously. "A _fact_!?"

From the sound of movement behind him, he realized that both of his friends must have gotten out of the booth. Zack laid a hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon, man. You don't want to be doing this." In a louder voice, he addressed Genesis. "Sir, if you'll forgive our friend- he's just…"

Kunsel shrugged out from under Zack's restraining grip and turned on him angrily.

"I don't need you apologizing for me, dammit. Especially not to _him_."

Conversations around them died abruptly, creating a pocket of dead silence in the boisterous room. His friend stared back at him, the troubled expression on his face a mute plea for Kunsel to back down before things turned ugly. Poor Zack. He just wanted everyone to get along. Kunsel almost felt bad for disappointing him, but he just couldn't take it anymore.

He'd waited three weeks for any sign from Sephiroth or Angeal that _they_ would do anything about Junon. Endured Genesis' snide jeering and backhanded comments about Lilith without a word. They'd said they'd handle it. Well they _hadn't_. All they'd done was cover up their friend's misdeeds while Lilith took all the blame on herself.

"Please don't," Luxiere murmured.

Kunsel's only response was a rueful smile before he faced Genesis once more. Only by the time he'd done so, the curve of his mouth had already sharpened into a mocking smirk.

"So- where were we before my friends saw fit to interrupt?"

Genesis' response was equally insolent.

"I believe you were about to say something incredibly foolish. But as their attempts to dissuade you from it have fallen upon deaf ears, by all means- continue."

"Oh I have no intentions of saying anything foolish," Kunsel replied.

"No?" The man feigned surprise beneath a heavy dose of sarcasm. "You _weren't_ going to spout some nonsense speech about how I tried to force your little friend to do something she didn't want to do? Or perhaps that she didn't know _exactly_ what she was bargaining for?"

Every muscle in Kunsel's body tensed with pent up rage as Genesis continued to taunt him.

"Trust me, puppy, she knew. They _all_ know. It's just too bad that she wasn't a better player and forfeited the game before it truly began. If she hadn't, we'd be having a much more interesting conversation right now."

Hushed murmurs flowed around them like water. Kunsel waited for the furor to die down before he asked, "Are you finished?"

"Why- do you have a riveting rebuttal you're dying to give?"

"No," Kunsel answered stonily. "Just this."

No sooner had the words left him, he slammed his right fist into Genesis' jaw. The man staggered backward a step or two, caught off-guard. But that surprise was fleeting. Kunsel had only moments to prepare before the 1st Class charged at him, looking every bit as though he might rip him apart.

Very likely he would; he was no match for Genesis in a fight. A glancing blow grazed his left temple, as he barely dodged the full force of it. Kunsel ignored the shouts around him, digging in to battle his opponent. A queer smile played on his lips as they clashed and grappled with one another.

 _I won't win, Genesis, but you can count on it that I won't make it easy for you to beat me, either. Let's you and me finish this._


	12. Chapter 12: Lectures and Arguments

Zack stood in silence before Angeal's desk. To his far right, Luxiere did the same. Between them, Kunsel just barely managed to keep on his feet. Given the beating his friend had taken during the fight with Genesis last night, Zack considered it a miracle he even got out of bed this morning. The man had paid dearly for challenging the 1st Class.

Before he and Luxiere had been able to pry the two apart last night, he'd earned a broken nose, some bruised ribs and a host of other semi-serious injuries. It might have been worse if Sephiroth hadn't shown up to help subdue Genesis. Why he'd come to the tavern in the first place, Zack couldn't say, but he sure was grateful for the assistance.

 _Kunsel sure wasn't helping himself any, either,_ he sighed. _If I didn't know better, I'd think he_ wanted _Genesis to kill him._

He knew that hadn't been it, though. No, his friend didn't have a death wish- despite what it looked like last night. He was just pushed beyond his limits. Zack had known it was coming. The antagonism had been growing between the two men since they'd come back from Junon.

So when Genesis came into the tavern last night, making the comments he did…well, was it any wonder that Kunsel's temper got the better of his common sense? Hadn't helped that he was already in a contentious mood before the man arrived.

And speaking of Genesis…he stood to Zack's left- albeit a slight distance apart from the rest of them. From this angle, the bruise on the 1st Class' jaw stood out in livid purple. But aside from that, he had suffered only a few minor scrapes and scratches. Zack couldn't help wishing he'd gotten more; he certainly deserved to suffer more than Kunsel did.

If Angeal's expression was any indication, though, they were _all_ about to endure a severe verbal thrashing. His typical no-nonsense attitude had ripened into an imposing wall of disapproval. The few times Zack dared make eye contact with his mentor, he felt its leaden weight settle on his conscience. He may not have started the fight, but he hadn't done much to prevent it, either.

"Now that we're all here," Angeal began in a steely tone, "We'll get straight to the matter. I want an explanation- from all of you- about why two of Shinra's SOLDIERs were brawling like _common_ _roughnecks_ in a public tavern."

No one wanted to be the first to speak. Not even Genesis, it would seem. The overhead lights buzzed abnormally loud while Angeal waited for answers. When none came after several minutes of uncomfortable silence, he took it upon himself to supply one of his own.

"Tell me how this sounds, then, and we'll see if I've got a clear understanding of the situation. You," he looked directly at Kunsel, "Have an interest in Lilith."

"And you," Angeal glowered at Genesis, "Were told before we left Junon _not_ to antagonize him about it. But you did, anyway. Likely have been all along- until the whole business came to a head last night."

He paused as if giving them the opportunity to contradict the story he'd just told. Neither man denied the accusations laid against him, but Kunsel's surprise that Angeal was aware of his feelings was evident. To be honest, Zack was, too.

He'd taken care not to mention it outside of their circle- certainly wouldn't have said a word to the 1st Classes. So he'd just assumed that neither Angeal nor Sephiroth knew, and that Genesis…well, Zack really didn't know how _he'd_ worked it out.

But if all three of them knew- since Junon- well that explained a few things. And opened the door to a whole different set of unanswered questions. None of which could he ask at present.

"I take it from your lack of response that my account is correct," Angeal continued. "So now I want explanations- starting with yours, Genesis. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"What do you expect me to say," the brown-haired man replied sullenly. "You've already decided I'm in the wrong, so what's the point? It's Junon all over again."

"We wouldn't keep having this conversation if you would just accept responsibility for your actions and move on. You bring all of this on yourself by perpetuating the hostility between yourself and the 2nd Classes."

"I don't see you berating _them_ for their share of this." Genesis gestured to their group- Kunsel in particular. "And I'll bet you didn't demand Lilith 'take responsibility' when you brought her in your office a few weeks ago."

Zack's temper bristled at the idea that Lilith would be responsible for anything, and very nearly expressed his outrage aloud. Angeal's next words stopped him.

"I didn't have to. She recognized in retrospect that it hadn't been a wise decision on her part to dance with you at the nightclub. Even if it had seemed to be the most logical choice at the time."

Just as they'd guessed all along- Lilith blamed herself for everything. And it almost sounded as if Angeal agreed with her reasoning. _Which explains_ a lot _about her behavior since that meeting._ He didn't need to glance over at Kunsel to know his friend's opinion; Zack could feel the tension emanating from him. As if the man needed more of a reason to resent those three.

"You see, then? It's as I said- she started it."

Sephiroth, who'd been standing quietly next to Angeal this whole time, chose that moment to speak.

"No, Genesis, _you_ started it."

"But she-"

"Enough!" Angeal barked, cutting him off. "We're not having this discussion again. Mark my words: The next time you push the matter, we're going to Lazard and _he'll_ decide how best to deal with you."

"Go on, then. Why not just do it and get this over with?"

"You know why."

Genesis held back a particularly vile comment, muttering it just quietly enough that no one could make out the words. Would that he had been louder, as Angeal made no effort to explain his reply in plain terms for the benefit of the rest of them.

"So let's just get back to why we're here this morning."

"Whatever. Just tell me I'm wrong- even though I sure didn't throw the first punch last night. Do you expect me to just let that upstart take a swing and do nothing about it?"

"I expect you to act like the senior ranking SOLDIER you are and set an example for those beneath you," their dark-haired commander explained simply. "To seek to resolve the issue without resorting to a public display of violence that is a disgrace to you both."

 _Better yet, not to_ cause _the issue in the first place,_ Zack added with no small amount of annoyance. But he understood why Angeal didn't press that point; he didn't want to give Genesis any reason to reopen the argument they'd just closed about Lilith. Still, it rankled that the man would skate by without having to own to it.

A significant pause followed. Genesis said nothing- neither accepting the criticism, nor speaking out against it. No way to know what lie behind the closed expression on his face. Zack hoped even if he wouldn't admit blame aloud, some part of what Angeal had said sunk in with the man.

The silence was short-lived, as the commander turned his attention to Kunsel. Now that he'd sufficiently grilled the 1st Class, his friend's turn had come.

"As for you," he censured warningly, "I'm equally disappointed in your conduct. Escalating the situation from bad to worse. As Mr. Rhapsodos said- he wasn't the first to land a blow in the fight."

"No, but he was certainly asking for it, _sir_."

 _Oh hell._

Apparently, getting his ass kicked last night hadn't been enough. Kunsel was determined to play this all the way through. Angeal was somewhat taken aback at his lack of remorse. Beside him, their silver-haired commander almost looked to be holding in an amused smirk. Some joke. Zack fully expected his friend to see severe repercussions for that remark.

"Be that as it may," the 1st Class said as soon as he'd recovered.

 _Or not,_ he said to himself in surprise. But Angeal must have had good reason to let the insubordination pass. When he spoke again, his lecture picked up right where he'd left off before Kunsel's comment.

"You're a SOLDIER, and should be above such crude means of settling a disagreement. If you were having problems with Mr. Rhapsodos, you should have brought it to our attention."

"I didn't think my _personal_ life was any of Shinra's business," the man retorted bitterly.

"Except that you've _made_ it our business just the same. Only worse, because now there's hardly a way we can hope to keep the matter contained among the six of us."

This time, his friend said nothing, a look akin to regret stealing into his eyes. Oh yes, he knew the truth of that. But Angeal continued his point, anyway.

"Look at you," he waved a hand at Kunsel. "Anyone who saw you walk in will know something happened. And it won't take long for rumors about the tavern brawl to spread around Headquarters- if they haven't already. Is that really what you wanted?"

"No, sir," Kunsel admitted with a capitulating sigh.

"Well, what's done is done now. You bear as much responsibility for the debacle as Mr. Rhapsodos does."

A very long silence followed Angeal's comment. Zack almost worried that his friend would continue to argue, but he proved to be more reasonable than Genesis had been. Despite still believing that the 1st Class ought to shoulder the lion's share of the blame, Kunsel swallowed his pride to accept the rebuke.

"Yes, sir."

"All right- just so you do." His glance passed over everyone in the room, stopping pointedly on both Genesis and Kunsel. "Whatever issues the both of you have with one another, I expect that going forward, you will strive to settle it _peaceably_ so that we do not have a repeat of last night's incident. Do we understand one another?"

"Yes, sir."

"Genesis?"

"Yeah, sure," the man replied dismissively. "Are we done or what?"

Frustration plain, Angeal nodded curtly. "Yes, we are. The both of you should take the day off- you especially," he said to Kunsel. "Rest, get yourself fixed up with a healer and come back in a few days. I'll find someone to fill in for any of your assignments in the meantime."

"I'll do it, sir," Luxiere offered.

"Good enough for me. Everyone's dismissed."

* * *

Headquarters swam with the constant murmur of voices. I had come in this morning expecting a relatively quiet day, only to be greeted with an unusual level of excitement. More than even I could pretend to ignore after a while. Not that my colleagues would let me, it seemed.

"Hey- Lilith!" another 2nd Class called over to me while I was grabbing a few things out of my locker.

I craned my neck to see around the door, searching for the owner of the voice. Jesse. I knew him from early days. We'd joined different circles of friends, but still talked from time to time. _What could he want, I wonder?_

"Hey yourself. What's up, Jesse?"

"I would have thought you would be able to tell me," he answered, leaning up against the locker next to mine. "That's why I came to find you. To get the scoop about it."

"About…what?" I was utterly mystified. "I'm just as in the dark as you are. Hell, I think you might know more than me."

"You can't seriously tell me that Zack, Lux and Kunsel get called into Angeal's office first thing this morning and you don't know what it's about."

 _No, I don't, but I have a bad feeling I can guess._

Unmindful of my dread silence, Jesse continued, "Tell you the truth, I was surprised that you weren't called in with them."

 _Yeah, me, too._

"I don't know anything about it, Jesse. None of them mentioned having a meeting to me, much less what it would be about."

"Well, looking the way Kunsel did this morning, I expect they're in there to report how and why he got the shit beat out of him."

"I beg your pardon? Did you just say…?"

He nodded vigorously. "You heard me. I saw for myself- someone made a mess of him. If it were me, I wouldn't have dragged myself into work this morning."

"I heard he got into a fight at the Crestward," someone else chimed in from behind me. I didn't know the name, but vaguely recognized the 3rd Class from a few recent watches I'd stood in Midgar. "Heard it from someone who'd gotten to the tavern just after it ended."

"They see who he was up against? Must have been a tough guy. Civilians don't usually mess with a SOLDIER."

"Well, I dunno if it's _true_ , but I _heard_ that the 1st Classes were there." My heart dropped into my stomach, knowing I wasn't going to like hearing the rest. "And Alec said he _thought_ he saw Genesis come in with a wicked-looking bruise on his jaw."

"Dude…you don't think…"

"I'm just telling you what I heard. But it makes sense, you know- they've had it out for each other for a while now."

"Yeah, since the Junon mission."

I tried my best not to let them know how distressed I was. No question in my mind, the rumors the 3rd Class had heard were most likely true. Hadn't I been thinking just yesterday that Kunsel was pointed in his dislike of Genesis? Still…to get into a _fight_. What was he thinking?

I hardly knew. These two obviously thought I did. Both of them looked to me for answers, though Jesse was the first to pose a question.

"What's Kunsel's problem with Genesis, anyway? The details of the Junon mission have been pretty hush-hush."

How fortunate that Jesse had given me the perfect excuse not to tell either of them anything. I shook my head, feigning regret, and told him, "I really can't talk about it. As you said- the details of the mission are being kept close-guarded. You know how it is."

They looked disappointed, but didn't press me a second time. And since we really had nothing more to say to one another, our trio parted company. Jesse and the 3rd Class left the locker room, while I stayed behind to finish what I came in here to do. So I rummaged around for the book I knew had to be in here. Somewhere.

After several minutes of searching without any luck, I guessed that I must have left it in my apartment. No use wasting any more time hunting in here when I had other things to do today. Besides, I thought I heard the door to the hall open again. Meaning that someone else had come into the room. I didn't want to get dragged into another conversation about Kunsel and Genesis, so best if I made myself scarce.

Which would have been ideal if when I turned away from my locker I hadn't run smack into Kunsel himself. He looked every bit as bad as Jesse had said. And the more I took in the details of his injuries, the angrier I became.

"A _fight_ , Kunsel," I snapped at him. "What in the _hell_ were you thinking!?"

"It's my business," he replied stiffly. "So if you don't mind, Lilith, I'm just here to gather some things and head home."

He walked past me to his locker at the other end of the aisle. I should have just left it at that. No good could come of pressing the issue; I followed him, anyway. Though Kunsel's back was to me, I spoke loudly enough that he had no trouble hearing my indignant retort.

"I _do_ mind, actually. Since you're determined to make your feud with Rhapsodos the talk of SOLDIER. I've already had people asking me what it's about, so you damn well can answer my questions."

He said nothing. Just yanked a satchel out of the locker and began stuffing things in it. I wasn't so easily put off, and tried again.

"Well?"

From where I stood, I could make out Kunsel's sharp-edged grimace. No surprise. The pain of his injuries must make even the smallest movement difficult. But then his next words provided an entirely different interpretation for what the look meant.

He glanced sideways at me and said in quiet fury, "Just like you answer all our questions, Lilith?"

"That's different."

"I don't see how it can be."

"It just is," I insisted stubbornly.

"No, it's not," he argued in a tone equally as obstinate as mine. Kunsel slammed the door closed and spun the dial to lock it. "So I find it incredibly hypocritical of you to demand from me something you aren't willing to give yourself."

The barb struck, but I refused to admit it.

"You don't see my private affairs blasted throughout Shinra. They don't affect anyone else, so I try to _keep_ it that way."

"Don't affect anyone!?" I couldn't tell whether his outburst stemmed from frustration or outrage. "Lilith, you must really be in denial if you believe that."

"I am _not_ in denial!"

"Then you're either completely oblivious…or a liar."

"I'm no liar, Kunsel!"

Incensed that he would make such an accusation, I shoved him. We glared at one another, neither of us willing to back down. Of course, lurking behind my anger, I felt a deep sorrow that he'd said something so hurtful. Probably why my next words wobbled a bit towards the end.

"I would think you would know me better than that!"

"Yeah, so did I," he answered cynically. "Lately, starting to wonder how well I ever knew you."

After one last damning look at me, he turned as if to leave. Remorse nipped at my conscience. I hadn't meant to fight with him- not like this. _Didn't you,_ my thoughts chided me. _What did you_ expect _to happen when you start off yelling at him?_ I hung my head in defeat, knowing the truth of it.

Hoping to make amends, I called out, "Kunsel- wait."

He didn't, though. Didn't even turn around.

 _Kunsel, I'm sorry._

* * *

The 2nd Classes had been dismissed. As had Genesis. Which left only Sephiroth and Angeal in the office. He regarded his dark-haired friend for several minutes before saying anything.

"I find it difficult to believe that Lazard knows nothing of this. The tavern was in pieces when we left. I'm sure the owner is demanding compensation."

"He is, and Lazard _is_ aware that a fight occurred between those two."

"And as to the reasons for said altercation?"

Angeal sighed and ran a hand through his hair, obviously less than happy with whatever he'd told the Director.

"Unresolved differences from the Junon mission," he muttered finally.

"But nothing mentioning Lilith."

"No. Fortunately, Lazard did not ask for the details. He said he'd take care of the tavern matter, but impressed upon me that _we_ were to resolve matters between Genesis and Kunsel. _This time_."

"Meaning should there be a next time…"

"I was dead serious before- if those two can't settle this, Lazard will. I'm not certain what he may decide."

"Let's hope that message was clear. I'd just soon not pull Genesis' irons out of the fire again. Once exceeded enough."

"About that," Angeal began. "What were you doing in that part of the city, anyway? Not exactly the sort of place you frequent."

No, it certainly wasn't. Sephiroth didn't care for the common rustic atmosphere of such establishments. Or the clientele, quite frankly. And so as a rule he stayed clear of them. But last night, a sixth sense had told him he needed to keep tabs on his erstwhile friend. Lucky for that 2nd Class he had, too; Genesis would have finished him otherwise.

 _Either a very brave or very foolish man to challenge him in the first place._

Sephiroth suspected the latter, though he could appreciate the tenacity the 2nd Class had to stand up for himself. Few others would. Something to consider. At some point, his plans regarding the Leviathan conspiracy would require the assistance of several lower ranking SOLDIERs. That one might prove useful.

 _If I keep him clear of Genesis, that is._

Angeal was still waiting for his reply, and so Sephiroth roused himself from those thoughts to say, "I was unimpressed with Genesis' talk of his plans for the evening. They didn't ring true, and so I felt it necessary to discover his agenda."

"Would seem your instincts were right. I thought we've made progress yesterday morning, and then he goes and…gets into a damned bar fight," his friend growled. "I just don't know what to _do_ with him."

Sephiroth strolled across the room, pausing at the door to gaze serenely at the man still sitting behind the desk.

"The way I see it, we've done about as much as we can for him, Angeal. The rest is up to Genesis."

Another sigh.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Leaving?"

"Best to keep up appearances for Lazard and make use of the training rooms for the morning. I'll be back later this afternoon."

And with that, Sephiroth found himself back in the hall. At this hour, crowded with lower ranking SOLDIERs and various administrative personnel. They whispered amongst themselves excitedly; he caught the names 'Kunsel' and 'Rhapsodos'. Naturally. As predicted, the rumors about the fight had spread- quickly.

As he passed by their groups of twos and threes, voices died amidst nervous, covert glances in Sephiroth's direction. He paid them no mind and kept walking. Then up ahead he saw the door to the locker room open.

Out stepped Kunsel, who pointedly ignored onlookers craning their necks to get a better view of his injuries. The few who tried to catch his attention or ask questions were quelled by the man's grim demeanor. The most persistent earned himself a shove for his trouble. Curious.

 _I suppose he's irked over the meeting with Angeal._

Rather than ponder the 2nd Class' foul mood, Sephiroth went on with his business. If he was going to train as he'd planned, he'd need to pick up a few things. But no sooner had he entered the locker room, he nearly collided into Lilith, who'd was standing just inside the door. She sidestepped out of his way with a mild curse.

"My apologies, sir," she offered politely, once the shock had worn off. "I hadn't intended to block the doorway."

Sephiroth did not reply immediately, taking his time in gathering an impression of her. And revisiting what he'd just seen in the hallway a moment ago. Quite possible that Kunsel's pique had more to do with whatever had transpired in here. If the lady's mood were any indication- very possible indeed. She appeared equally unsettled.

The silence had stretched long enough that Lilith showed signs of unease, and must have decided escape was the best means of dealing with it. A common tactic with her lately. Especially the few times they'd crossed paths. She coughed lightly and made as if to excuse herself.

"In any case- I'll be going now."

Except Sephiroth stood directly between Lilith and the only way out, and he wasn't inclined to move. A detail not lost on the lady. He was curious to see what she would do next- whether he could provoke her enough to fracture her polite façade. The training could easily wait a few minutes for him to find out.

"Sir? If you wouldn't mind…?"

Her question trailed off. And while the tone remained respectful, a slight narrowing of her eyes suggested her thoughts ran along different lines. He merely raised an eyebrow, as if daring her to challenge him. Lilith's lips thinned to a grim line.

"If you don't require my presence, sir, I kindly ask that you allow me to pass."

"If you intended to catch up with your friend, that opportunity has gone. He seemed quite eager to distance himself from here." As the tables turned and she fell silent, he dared query, "Unless perhaps he'd been given good reason for leaving in such a hurry. In which case, consider this delay a blessing in disguise."

The façade shattered, and Lilith shot him an openly hostile glare.

"Kunsel is my friend, and what goes on between us isn't anyone else's business- not even yours, _sir_."

 _Just friends? Or something else?_ In the case of the latter, Sephiroth wouldn't be surprised if the two of them decided to keep it secret. But as he weighed her words in his mind, and how she'd said them, he found himself convinced that she meant them. _So you haven't told her, have you, puppy?_

Given the fight with Genesis last night and the furor at Headquarters this morning, wouldn't be long before the man had no choice. If he didn't say something, someone else would. Sephiroth was almost tempted to be that someone- just to see how the lady would react.

But ultimately, he agreed with her that it was none of his business. Except, perhaps, where Genesis was involved. In this particular instance, that was not the case. And yet it wouldn't do any harm to draw Lilith's attention to the conflict between her friend and his. Or the underlying cause behind it.

"Not anyone's business you say," he contradicted her with a slightly bemused chuckle. "Rather hard to say that after the events of yesterday evening, I would think."

Sephiroth took a gliding step around Lilith, feigning as though he considered the conversation over. An opportunity for her to escape any confrontation like usual; the lady was not so inclined to run away this time, however. He heard her advancing footfalls even before she planted herself in his way.

Hands on her hips, she demanded, "Just what's that supposed to mean!?"

 _Finally,_ Sephiroth thought with satisfaction. He hadn't imagined it would take so long to get a true reaction from the woman, but at last she'd produced something real. Far more genuine than the empty lip service she'd been giving all of them for the past few weeks.

"You know well enough what I mean," he replied with an unconcerned shrug.

"Oh what a surprise- yet _another_ man who presumes to tell me what I do or don't know." Her tone was decidedly sarcastic and bitter. "Just like Rhapsodos. Hell, even Zack and…Kunsel. Now you," Lilith gestured at him before continuing with her irate tirade, "I can think for myself- no different than any of you. My gender has nothing to do with whether or not my brain works!"

 _That's more of a reaction than I expected._

Sephiroth could guess what Genesis might have said to her. Probably one of his unflattering opinions of women. _But what did your 2_ _nd_ _Class friend have to say that would rile your temper enough to mention him?_ He could think of one very likely answer. Rather than inquire for the details- Lilith wouldn't provide them, anyway- Sephiroth kept her focus on their current disagreement.

"I never said it did- or that you couldn't."

"Well then _don't_ insult me by telling me what you _think_ I know."

"I wasn't insulting you."

"No? Then what _were_ you doing?"

Sephiroth frowned slightly at her and stated, "Merely pointing out something that I would have thought glaringly obvious. Apparently, it wasn't- at least not to you."

His matter-of-fact tone must have caught Lilith by surprise, and her anger ebbed as a result. She frowned back in confusion, which voiced itself in the stammer of her reply.

"I…I don't…what's obvious?"

"As you said not too long ago," he answered as he circled around her. "That's none of my business. I suggest you put that question to your friend and see what he has to say."

With that, Sephiroth gathered the few things he'd originally come for and headed for the exit to the hall. Lilith didn't speak or even move during that time. Just stood there, expression a mixture of puzzlement and frustration. He paused at the door to look back at her one last time.

"This has been a most interesting conversation, Lilith. I bid you good day."

Her response came after a half second delay, almost absently as she stared ahead.

"Good day to you, sir."


	13. Chapter 13: Change on the Horizon

And just like Kunsel before him, Sephiroth left the room without a backward glance. Leaving me there to ponder what in the hell just happened. I'd argued. With _Sephiroth._ After the Junon disaster, I'd vowed not to antagonize the 1st Classes unless completely unavoidable. Him in particular.

 _And yet that's exactly what you went and did. Picked a fight with him when you didn't have to._

 _Untrue,_ I argued against myself. _He picked a fight with me first._

Which, I got the feeling, he'd done on purpose. To what end I didn't know. No different from those times I'd felt his probing gaze studying me. Perhaps one thing had to do with the other. Perhaps not. But when he'd gone prying into my personal business with Kunsel…and then that arrogant remark about knowing what he'd meant…

 _Well I wasn't going to let that go unchallenged, was I?_

I supposed I should feel lucky that Sephiroth hadn't taken offense to that challenge. He could just as easily had me hauled before Angeal- or Lazard- for open insubordination. Or dealt with it in any number of unpleasant ways I dared not imagine.

But instead, the silver-haired commander had responded with pointed neutrality. Refusing to engage in the argument _he_ had instigated. All the more irritating to me that I'd been baited so easily when I was denied the satisfaction of a real confrontation. Would have lost, most likely, but still…

 _So you_ wanted _him to say that he finds you inferior because you're a woman?_

 _He does, though._

 _Does he,_ a tiny voice in the back of my mind queried doubtfully. _Didn't sound like it to me._

I refused to acknowledge that last remark, and shook myself out of my thoughts. Best to get out of this room; the longer I stayed here, the more aggravating my morning seemed to become. Besides, I was long overdue for practice in the training room I'd booked. If I didn't hustle, someone else would claim the spot and I'd have to wait.

The hall had quieted some when I emerged from the locker room. Most of the SOLDIERs who'd been milling around earlier had gone off to their duties. For which I gave a silent prayer of thanks. No more awkward conversations like the one with Jesse. I'd had more than enough of that today to last me.

My luck held nearly the whole way to the corridor of simulation rooms. But then I turned the corner and came face to face with the absolute last person I wanted to see this morning. Especially not when I saw that nerve-grinding grin, which promised I would not like the words to follow.

"Lilith," he greeted me with saccharine venom. "Still spending your time in training rooms, I see."

I made a point not to address the implied slight, and merely gave him a perfunctory nod.

"Mr. Rhapsodos," I replied neutrally.

That said, I moved to pass by him; Genesis had other ideas. He shifted to the left just enough that he blocked the aisle. I tried not to let my irritation show as he answered slyly, "How surprising to find you here."

He wanted me to ask him why, but I refused to engage in the conversation. Genesis was untroubled by my lack of reply, and continued on as if I had expressed an interest in whatever he had to say.

"But perhaps you hadn't heard the news yet. About your little friend. Kunsel, is it?"

I remained silent, though it wasn't easy. I disliked the way he spoke about Kunsel. Dismissively- as if being a 2nd Class made him too insignificant for the likes of Genesis to bother remembering his name. A charade, of course- just a show to see if I would call him on it. I didn't, regarding him with a cool stare.

Not to be so easily thwarted, Genesis tried again.

"What? Don't tell me that you're not even the _tiniest_ bit curious. After all, the two of you are so _close_ and all."

Oh this was as bad or worse than what Sephiroth had to say on the matter. I was inclined to go with worse. From the emphasis on the word 'close', Genesis clearly thought that my relationship with Kunsel was more than just platonic. Kunsel hadn't done either of us any favors getting into a fight. Pretty sure that's what inspired the theory.

 _Do you have a better one?_

That voice was back again, butting in with more questions I'd rather not answer.

 _No, I don't. But I'm not stupid enough to believe a theory Genesis put together._

 _Just oblivious to something obvious, perhaps?_

I reeled inwardly as those words- Sephiroth's and Kunsel's- reverberated in the back of my mind. It couldn't be true. No, it just _couldn't_. Kunsel would have…

 _Would have what? What did you expect him to do?_

A quick mental recap of the past three weeks only lent credence to what I'd been hoping to dispel as groundless supposition. I had to admit that I'd been blind- intended or not- that Kunsel's feelings ran deeper than friendship. And now that I _was_ aware…I looked at the argument in the locker room with new eyes.

 _I have to talk to him._ A pause, then I added to myself, _if he's still willing to talk to me, that is._

A worry for much later. I had to deal with Genesis. Right now, he presented the much bigger threat. Because while Kunsel's interest might be true, the implication that I was in any way involved with him beyond friendship wasn't.

 _Knowing Genesis, that won't matter in the slightest. He's going to spread that rumor around Shinra as fast as he can. Won't_ that _be fun to explain to Angeal?_

Diffusing his speculation wouldn't be easy, though. It would require level thinking, and so I gritted my teeth against the desire to tear into him. Ranting would only add fuel to the fire. But if I wanted to end this conversation from hell, I needed to say something. Genesis wasn't going to let me pass until I made some response. That or someone else came along to interrupt.

 _And since there appears to be little chance of_ that _happening at the moment…_

"If you mean the fight at the Crestward, I already heard."

He laughed.

"Fight? More like he volunteered for a beating."

So much for remaining calm. I was sure Genesis must have caught the anger that flashed in my eyes before I could suppress the reaction. It was that tone again. He was boasting that he'd nearly killed my friend. You bet I was furious. Genesis pounced on it eagerly.

"Don't worry, Lilith. I left him well enough. Alive, anyway. No need to come looking for revenge." He eyed me contemptuously before adding, "And I certainly don't need to waste my time embarrassing yet another mediocre SOLDIER. Or whatever _you're_ supposed to be."

I wanted to challenge him. Badly. In my mind's eye, I envisioned the look on Genesis' face when I wiped the floor with him. A hopeless fantasy. Kunsel had been outmatched; I would have no chance at all. So as difficult as it was, I let the insult pass without comment.

"Did you have anything else to say, sir?" I kept my tone even. Somehow. "I am already late for my assigned time in the simulation rooms."

He did not like to be dismissed, a heated glow burning in his eyes as he glared down at me. I pretended not to see it, which only infuriated him all the more. Spiteful malice colored the words of his answering retort.

"No surprise there, since that's the only kind of battle you can win."

Now _that_ I couldn't let go, and was quick to point it out as a flagrant lie.

"I defeated an Oceanus, you may recall."

" _Luck_. And it nearly took off your leg, besides."

"I'd say that given no one had been prepared for one to be in Junon harbor that day, I handled the unexpected battle as well as any other 2nd Class."

"Any SOLDIER could have taken on that Oceanus better than you- even your pathetic friend." Genesis corrected himself with a smirk, "Forgive the error. I should have said your _lover._ "

"Why, you…!"

I'd barely gotten the words out before he interrupted me with yet another stinging jibe.

"So why don't you make yourself more useful as his nursemaid and leave the fighting to those better equipped for it."

Fists clenched at my sides, I seethed with outrage at his chauvinistic remarks. For some reason, Genesis was more caustic than usual; up to now, his comments had been more oblique. So subtle that no one else would have caught his meaning. Easily dismissed on my part.

Not so much this time. Had any of my colleagues been around, even they wouldn't have missed the meaning behind Genesis' blatant attacks. Maybe that's why I found it more difficult to ignore them. Rather…found it impossible. Which was how I found myself getting into an argument with a 1st Class for the _second_ time in one morning.

But just as I was about to deliver a scathing reply, the conceit in his expression drained away. In fact, Genesis wasn't looking at me at all; his eyes were riveted on something behind me. Couldn't be good, whatever it was. I glanced over my shoulder, half expecting to see Lazard standing there.

 _Oh that's much worse,_ I swore silently.

Not the Director, but Sephiroth. Must have come here to work in the training rooms. Or so I could only assume, as unlikely as the idea seemed. The commander made no move to continue on his way to whatever he was here to do. Nor did he say anything- to either of us. Just stood there, watching. I did not mistake the displeasure in his expression.

 _Probably thinks it's my fault for provoking his friend._

 _If that's so, then why is Genesis so rattled?_

That question caught me off guard, and I had to admit that I didn't know the answer. Nor did I have the time to think of one. Sephiroth decided that particular moment to speak.

"You're a fair distance from the lobby elevators, Genesis, which is where you ought to have been by now."

A hard look passed between them, and I could sense the tension in the hall. Genesis' eyes turned aside first, seemingly unwilling to challenge his friend. I wondered whether my presence had anything to do with that. In any event, his gaze fixed on me again.

"If you'll excuse me, Lilith, I must end our discussion here. As my friend was so kind to remind me- I have somewhere else to be."

Genesis stepped aside, his retreating footsteps echoing in the nearly empty corridor. I didn't turn around to see whether Sephiroth had followed him, unwilling to endure a repeat performance of our earlier disagreement. If that made me a coward, then so be it. But I'd simply had more than enough for one morning. I hurried off to my assigned practice room, shut myself inside, and let out a sigh of relief to be alone.

 _Finally. Back to work. Maybe if I'm lucky, by the time I'm through with this session, things will have calmed down out there._

* * *

Genesis passed Sephiroth without a word. He had nothing to say to the man. Not after he ruined what had been the most successful exchange he'd had with Lilith since returning from Junon. She'd been on the verge of losing her temper when _he_ showed up. Not only did Genesis miss the opportunity get under her skin for once, but now his friend knew that he hadn't headed Angeal's direction to leave her alone.

 _Earning me more of his lecturing in the not too distant future, I imagine._

An annoyance he'd face another day. No sense sticking around here to dwell on it. But before Genesis could take another step, a hand settled on his shoulder. Apparently, Sephiroth hadn't finished with him yet. He sided a reluctant glance to his friend.

"What," he demanded irritably.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Genesis."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Sephiroth glared at him, not believing a word of it. He didn't let go, either, saying, "If you keep on with antagonizing Lilith, the matter _will_ be brought before Lazard."

"And what do you really think our dear Director will do about it? She's a _2_ _nd_ _Class_. Shinra has dozens of them. Not to mention the scores of 3rd Classes just waiting to advance to the next rank." Genesis shrugged out of his friend's grip. "Face it, Sephiroth- she's expendable; I'm not."

A shadow passed over Sephiroth's face, and he said nothing for a full minute. Genesis decided not to wait any longer, and moved as if to leave. His silver-haired friend shook his head and issued a final, ominous warning.

"Until you become too much of an inconvenience for the Shira executives to justify keeping you around. There comes a point at which we _all_ become expendable, Genesis. Don't ever forget that."

Point made, Sephiroth didn't wait for a response. He left Genesis standing alone as he continued in the direction Lilith had gone. If that speech was supposed to frighten him, his friend was mistaken. Shinra would _never_ risk losing their top SOLDIERS. Especially over a nobody like _her_. Genesis chuckled to himself at the very idea before turning his steps towards the elevators.

 _Might as well get out of here and make the most of having the day off._

As he passed through the corridors, he noticed the furtive looks from 2nd and 3rd Classes he met along the way. None dared approach or greet him directly. Most of them regarded him with wary unease. If Genesis didn't know better, he'd see their terse silence as condemnation. Like they believed he'd done something wrong.

 _Forget them,_ he told himself fiercely. _Their opinions mean nothing._

The elevator was empty when he arrived. No one else got on between the floor reserved for Shinra's SOLDIERs and the lobby. As much as he didn't want to deal with unwanted company, the solitude only gave rise to something much worse: time alone with his own thoughts. Genesis couldn't stop himself from replaying Sephiroth's words.

 _We_ all _become expendable._

He couldn't believe such a thing to be true- or that his friend did, either. But the look on his face…no, he'd been serious.

 _He hasn't been quite the same since that meeting with Lazard. This whole situation with the Leviathan has affected his feelings about Shinra- its board executives especially._

Not a thought that sat easy on his mind, despite how badly Genesis wanted to ignore it. If he didn't have his career with SOLDIER, what did he have? This was the life he'd known for so long. Shinra couldn't just abandon him. Not over something as insignificant as this.

 _Could they?_

The elevator reached the lobby, interrupting his internal debate. He stepped out, and pointedly ignored the gawkers staring at him from the reception desk. Fans. Any other day, he would've reveled in their attention; today he just wanted to get as far from Headquarters as possible. As quickly as possible. With that goal in mind, Genesis crossed the highly polished floor in long strides, looking neither left nor right.

"Why hello there, sweetie," a simpering female voice greeted him as he cleared the lobby doors to the street. "I'd wondered how long it might be before you crossed my path. It was getting so _boring_ standing here."

Slightly startled, Genesis spun around to see who had spoken. Beside one of the columns stood a comely brunette in a revealing mini-dress. Everything about her screamed 'fangirl'. He might have dismissed her like the others, but she seemed to know him- _intimately._

 _So do many other women just like her,_ he mused. But he'd never seen one of them come seeking him out after their liaison ended. Certainly not to Shinra Headquarters. So what did this one want? She looked vaguely familiar- but he was drawing a blank as to the where. Genesis offered her a disarming smile and bluffed his way through.

"I beg my lady's forgiveness. Perish the thought that such a beauty should be kept waiting."

The fangirl raised a skillfully sculpted eyebrow at him and approached. She stopped with only inches between them. Close enough that Genesis caught a hint of her perfume. More than a hint, really. Whoever she was, she certainly was fond of gardenias. A vague memory teased his brain, but still refused to help him identify this mystery woman.

"You don't remember me, do you," she pouted, as if reading his thoughts. "Three weeks and you've already forgotten me."

Three weeks. Junon. Genesis tried to conceal his surprise when he realized who she must be. Not to mention the alarm he felt at the idea that she'd followed him back to Midgar.

"Never," he assured her while pushing that worry aside. "How could you suggest it, Danita my dear? I was merely surprised to see you in the city."

Of course she believed him, siding up even closer. A long lacquered fingernail skimmed down the front of his uniform as she glanced up at him through her lashes and asked, "A pleasant surprise, I hope."

 _More like an unsettling one,_ he answered silently. _Right now you're the_ last _thing I need. Angeal and Sephiroth are already on my case. If either of them see you here, it'll just add fuel to their arguments about the Junon affair._

Then again…Angeal had told him to take a few days off. So why not spend them with some congenial company? Neither of his friends ever need find out Danita was even in Midgar. In a way, his ego was flattered that she thought so highly of their evening together to seek him out. Could be fun to explore something more than his typical one-night stands.

Genesis' mind was made up to see what came of it. He'd have a bit of fun; Danita could say she was his lover for more than a night. And when he grew bored with her, she could easily be sent back to Junon. Genesis would invent some reason or other, or take up with another fangirl. Danita would get the idea and move on.

"How could it not be," he replied solicitously. "I've missed you since we were forced to part company. Didn't I say then that I could have wished for more time with you?"

"I _knew_ you would that's why I just _had_ to come here in person. I couldn't let my love spend so long alone."

Genesis returned her smile, albeit somewhat anemically at the mention of 'love'. The fangirl sure did lay it on thick. In the back of his mind, Angeal's warning hovered like clinging fog.

 _Suppose she thinks you're serious?_

 _Impossible,_ he denied vehemently. _Girls like her just like to throw around words like that. They don't mean anything._

"How lucky for me that you are so generous to make such an arduous journey on my account."

"Think nothing of it. I'm just happy to be together again."

"As am I, my dear." Genesis took her hand and kissed it gallantly. "And as I happen to have a few free days to spend as I like, I could think of nothing better than to spend them with you."

Danita giggled and clung to his side. The day was certainly looking up for him. Angeal and Sephiroth could stew about that altercation with Kunsel all they liked; he was going to have some fun. Genesis smoothed a hand over the curve of her hip, earning him another giggle.

"What do you have in mind," she asked with breathy excitement.

"For now…" Genesis paused before continuing, "I'd say a night on the town is just the thing."

"But it's only barely noon…" she voiced, frowning in mild puzzlement. "What will we do until then?"

He leaned in close to whisper a particularly explicit suggestion in her ear. Danita blushed furiously, but didn't protest. Without a backward glance to the building behind him, Genesis led the way through Midgar's busy streets.

* * *

Duties finished, Zack stowed his gear in his locker and closed the door. He was glad to see the end of what had been an incredibly long and frustrating day. Except for the vicious beating, he almost envied Kunsel that he'd been sent home so early. He, at least, was spared the unending prying of every SOLDIER at Headquarters. All of them eager to hear the details of the rumored fight.

 _Angeal was right; there's no way we're going to keep this from Lilith. If she hasn't heard already._

Beside him, the sound of metal scraping metal caught Zack's attention. He looked over in time to see Luxiere grab a change of clothes from his locker. With a weary smile, he offered his friend a listless greeting.

"Hey."

Luxiere cast an equally tired glance in his direction.

"Hey."

"I take it you're on guard duty this evening?"

"Yeah. Taking Kunsel's place."

The tone suggested his friend was less than thrilled at the prospect. He wrenched off his shirt, discarding it carelessly in the bottom of his locker, and pulled on the clean one. Neither of them spoke as Luxiere did the same with his fatigue pants. Only when he'd latched the clasp of his buckle and readjusted the rest of his gear did Zack venture to say anything.

"I'm sure he'll make it up to you, Lux. You know, when all this blows over."

His friend shot him an incredulous look.

"Blows over? Zack, you can't be serious. After what happened last night, this isn't going to just 'blow over'."

"Okay, I know it looks bad," he admitted, leaning against his locker. "But Angeal and Sephiroth…"

"What about them?"

"They know what Genesis is up to now. They'll keep him in check."

"Like they've been doing these past few weeks, you mean?"

Zack couldn't ignore the sarcasm embedded in Luxiere's remark, much as he wanted to. He wanted to have faith that the 1st Classes would look after the interests of the SOLDIERS under their command and not let this slide. He told himself they hadn't intervened before because they hadn't known.

 _But they_ did _know about Kunsel. And that Genesis knew, too. Didn't do much about that, did they?_

Zack tried to ignore the doubt trying to set in as those thoughts struck him. He had to have believe that of anyone, at least Angeal would abide to the code of honor they all swore to in becoming SOLDIERs. Even if he couldn't count on Sephiroth to do the same.

"We don't know what they've been doing this whole time," he countered at last. "Maybe they _have_ tried to keep Genesis from making the Junon thing worse. Maybe it's not as bad as it _could_ have been."

Luxiere gave a derisive snort and slammed his locker door shut.

"Yeah, and maybe not. Look, I've gotta get going or I'll be late to turnover."

Zack nodded, deciding not to press the point any further about the 1st Classes.

"I was headed out, anyway."

They both left the room and paused in the hall outside. Busy, given the time of day. Everyone was trying to leave as quickly as possible. Luxiere glanced around before asking, "You still going to check in on Kunsel?"

"He could use the company, I think."

"I dunno…he said he wanted to be left alone."

"That was earlier, after the whole lecture ordeal. I'm sure by now he's cooled off."

"Mhmm," his friend hummed noncommittally.

In the steady throng of passersby, Zack spotted Lilith. Headed their way. He hadn't been able to talk to her all day, so maybe now was his chance. He bid Luxiere farewell, ready to catch up with her.

"I guess I'll find out, then. I'll see you around."

"See you around, Zack."

By the time he'd turned back to spot Lilith, she was gone. Bewildered, he scanned the faces of his fellow SOLDIERs. Not even a glimpse of auburn hair or violet eyes. In either direction. So she hadn't turned back; hadn't passed by, either. Disappeared.

 _That's ridiculous. She_ can't _have just disappeared._

Zack slipped in and among the groups of 2nd and 3rd Classes in the hall. Searched it from one end to the other, only to come up empty-handed. And so he gave up, disappointed. He couldn't shake the feeling that Lilith had deliberately avoided him.

 _Isn't that just typical,_ he thought dourly. _Well, tomorrow she won't be so lucky. This has gone on long enough._

As for today, though, he'd missed his opportunity and might as well head over to see Kunsel. See what he could do to help there.

* * *

A knock at the door roused Kunsel from his afternoon plans- sitting on the beat-up couch in his living room, staring at a blank wall. Just like he'd been doing from the moment he got home. Even if he hadn't already felt like shit from the fight with Genesis, he wouldn't have been up to doing anything after that argument with Lilith. At this point, Kunsel wasn't sure which had been more painful.

 _Doesn't matter, does it?_

A second knock- more insistent this time. Kunsel wasn't expecting any guests, and had no intentions of getting up to answer it. The lack of response didn't seem to deter whoever it was one bit. This time, a voice called through the door.

"Hey, Kunsel- it's Zack. You there?"

 _Means it's a lot later in the evening than I thought._ And sure enough, when Kunsel checked his watch, it read well after six. His friend must have come by after finishing up for the day at Headquarters. Would that he hadn't; Kunsel had told everyone he wanted to be alone. _Trust Zack not to take me seriously._

He sighed and rose- rather stiffly- from the couch. No use pretending he wasn't here or Zack would start calling his cell. No doubt he'd come to commiserate or make some speech about how everything was going to be fine. His friend meant well, but Kunsel knew better. He opened the door, anyway, hoping to get this over with quickly.

"Hey, man. This really isn't a great time…"

"Still feeling a bit rough from last night?" Zack eyed him once over. "You look a lot better than this morning."

"Saw a healer earlier."

They stood in silence for a few minutes. Kunsel merely braced himself between the doorjamb and the edge of the door, not offering to move aside so his friend could enter the apartment. As that fact became clear, Zack frowned at him.

"What gives, Kunsel? I come by to see how you're doing and you give me the brush off."

"I told you, it's not a great time. And it's not that I don't appreciate the gesture, but I need to just…be alone for awhile."

"You've been alone _all day_."

"I know, but I'm seriously not in the mood for company."

"What, so you can spend the next few days dwelling on Junon and how it's pitted you against not just Genesis, but Lilith as well?"

 _More true than you know after this morning._ Kunsel said nothing about that to Zack, though. His silence only served to frustrate his friend all the more.

"You can't keep all this bottled up, Kunsel. Hell, you're almost as bad as Lilith. Talk to me- talk to her. But do something before whatever this is drags you under for good."

Zack's voice carried through the hallway a little too loudly for comfort. Surely at least one or two of his neighbors could hear everything he'd just said. Not wanting to give them any more to gossip about, Kunsel reluctantly admitted his friend inside. Once the door closed behind them, he threw Zack a disgruntled glare.

"You can't fix this, Zack." The dark-haired man facing him tried to interrupt, but he kept on. "No matter how much you want things back the way they were- it's not going to happen. So you'll just have to make peace with that."

"They might if you would at least _try_."

"Try _what_!? Lilith sure isn't making an effort, despite any of our best efforts- including _yours_ , I might add. And after what she said today, I've had enough. Why keep putting myself through hell? It's not worth it."

Oh he shouldn't have said that last part. Kunsel knew it the moment the words left him that he'd made a mistake. Too late to do anything about it now. He just waited, knowing what was to follow. Sure enough, Zack couldn't resist asking him about it.

"What did she say?"

"Nothing."

"Like hell it was nothing."

"Nothing I want to talk about."

And he didn't. Kunsel had no interest in rehashing the heated exchange from the locker room. Certainly not how it felt when he'd realized just how little she thought of anyone other than herself. Lilith didn't care that he'd gotten hurt- could have been killed, even; her only concern about the fight had been how it impacted _her_.

Maybe if she _had_ thought of him in the slightest, he might have told her his reasons for challenging Genesis. Kunsel shook himself out of those thoughts. No point obsessing over the 'what ifs' of what _could_ have been. Wasn't going to change what _did_ happen.

"This got anything to do with why Lilith deliberately avoided me this afternoon?"

 _Oh most definitely,_ Kunsel mused with an inward chuckle that lacked any semblance of mirth. Aloud, he merely replied with a half-hearted shrug, "Could be. Could be any number of things."

Zack measured his answer before letting out a frustrated sigh.

"All right, I can see I'm not going to get anywhere with this today. And now I have to tell Lux that he was right. He so rarely gets to be the one to say 'I told you so', so you can imagine he will be insufferable all day tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm sure he will be," Kunsel asked, doing his best to smile- and failing miserably. "Right about what, anyway?"

"He said I ought to leave you be. Guess I should have listened, huh?"

"You meant well." It was the most he could offer his friend. "But yeah, might have been for the best."

From the end table next to the couch, Kunsel heard his phone ring. Probably one of their colleagues calling for details about the fight with Genesis. It had been ringing almost non-stop since he left Shinra this morning. So much that he'd switched the damned thing off for several hours to get some rest. Had only just turned it on before Zack came by, actually. Kunsel let the call go to voicemail, in no mood to deal with whoever it was.

"I'll be on my way, then."

"I'll be back to work in a few days. By then, I should be of a mindset to be better company. Okay?"

"I could try with Lilith in the meantime if you…" his friend trailed off. "Or I could just let it go."

"I think you know the answer to that."

"Yeah, I do. You sure?"

"I'm sure."

Zack didn't look happy about it, but he nodded.

"All right. If that's what you want. I'll see you later this week."

"Later days, my friend."

With that, Zack took his leave. Kunsel stared for some time at the door before turning away. He really, really hoped his friend listened to him about Lilith. For now, nothing he could do about it. Or much of anything. So he eased himself back into a comfortable position on the couch and picked up his phone.

 _Might as well check how many messages I've missed, just in case any are important._

Doubtful, but it was something to do in the long hours that stretched between now and nightfall. Kunsel scrolled through a dozen random text messages- all of them pretty much what he'd expected to see. Well-wishers who could barely disguise their true purpose for sending their lukewarm condolences. He deleted every single one.

As he did so, a notification popped up that he had a new voicemail. Likely the caller from a minute ago. Kunsel was tempted to just delete that, too, without even listening to it. But then he noticed the ID of the missed caller.

Lilith.

His thumb hovered over the delete button, as he argued with himself that he didn't want to hear what she had to say. Curiosity in the back of his mind said otherwise. Kunsel slid the digit over to the playback button. Hoping he wouldn't be sorry later, he pressed it. Lilith's voice sounded timid, despite the amplification of the phone's speakers.

" _Um…hey. It's Lilith. I don't know if you're not picking up because you're just not answering calls…or if it's because you don't want to talk to me."_

Several seconds of dead silence before she continued.

" _I'd understand why, given the things I said this morning. You've every right to be angry."_

Another pause where she took an audible breath.

" _You were right. I didn't want to admit it, but you were right. About everything. I…well, I-I hope you get this message, because you really needed to know that."_

This time, the silence stretched out so long that Kunsel almost wondered if she'd merely forgotten to hang up. But then her voice picked up again to deliver a final message.

" _I'm sorry, Kunsel. I hope you can forgive me, and that we can talk. Really talk. Because I, um, think we really should. Talk. About…stuff. But in case we don't…I truly am sorry. Goodbye, Kunsel."_

A click signaled she'd finished. Kunsel didn't know what to think of it. Any of it. He replayed her message again. And then again. The whole time, he held the pad of his thumb over the button that would dial her number. Once or twice, Kunsel came very close to pressing it.

As the recording fell silent for the third time, the screen dimmed and darkened entirely. Kunsel stared at the phone for a long time. He didn't know how long, honestly. Ultimately, he set it on the table next to him, got up and left the room.


	14. Chapter 14: Tensions Rising

The knock at his office door heralded the arrival of Angeal's next appointment. The last one for today. _Well, second to last,_ he corrected himself. _But the less said about_ that _meeting, the better._ Setting those thoughts aside, he beckoned the would-be visitor to enter.

"It's open."

No sooner had he said the words, Fair walked in. From his grim expression, the 2nd Class looked forward to this just about as much as Angeal did. But come tomorrow morning, Kunsel was due back from his time off- as was Genesis. He needed to get a sense how that might play out. Prepare for anything that might happen- _without_ the need to bring Lazard into it if at all possible.

"You asked to see me, sir?"

Very formal. Since the lecture earlier this week, the 2nd Classes had erected an almost chillingly polite wall. Not just Zack and his friends- _all_ of the 2nd Classes. The 3rd Classes were no less hostile. Most of it had been directed at him and Sephiroth, but even 1st Classes who had no involvement in the Junon incident were shut out.

The message was very clear, and prompted Angeal to call this meeting more than anything. The last thing Shinra needed was for its SOLDIERs to split into two opposing camps. Not now when they had much larger threats to conquer in the coming weeks.

Meaning he needed to break through that wall, starting with Zack. Since Angeal had taken to mentoring the man, he'd been the bridge between the 1st Classes and the junior ranks. If he could convince him to work together, there was hope to resolve the mounting tensions. Angeal motioned to the chair opposite him.

"I did, Zack," he replied. His manner of addressing the man by name was deliberate, inviting him to view their meeting as personal. "Have a seat."

The man eyed him warily for a moment or two before he circled around the chair to sit. Not the best start. Angeal pressed forward, anyway. He set aside the file he'd been reviewing and folded his hands on the desk before him.

"I was hoping we could talk frankly with one another."

"About?"

"In a word: Junon."

"I assume you mean the incident in the nightclub and not the Leviathan battle."

"Not the incident itself. Rather, the discord that has ensued here in Midgar over the past few weeks. I wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter- seeing as you're much closer to the other parties involved."

At first, he thought that the 2nd Class would interpret those words as an accusation. And the sharp look in his eye didn't help allay that worry. Then the look faded as Zack sat back, weighing his options of what to say. While his words didn't provide much in the way of his thoughts, at least the tone conveyed a willingness to speak openly.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Angeal." Zack shrugged. "It's a bad business, no two ways about it."

"And getting worse by the day, from what I have seen. Even with sending Kunsel and Genesis away for a few days."

"As you said- word about the fight got around. People are going to talk whether they're here or not."

"People being the 2nd Classes, you mean." When Zack didn't deny it, Angeal asked, "What kinds of things are they saying?"

Uncomfortable silence. This conversation may have opened with assurances that it was strictly personal, but the man sitting across the desk knew Angeal was still the ranking SOLDIER. And if he didn't like what Zack told him, it could come with severe consequences for his colleagues. But after what appeared to be an internal struggle over what to do, he offered his opinion.

"It's no secret that Genesis has been tormenting both Kunsel and Lilith ever since we returned from Junon. And from _this_ side, it appears nothing is being done about it." He paused significantly. "From _that_ side."

"I see."

Definitely a problem.

Angeal understood how it might appear that way. _And to some extent, they're not wrong,_ he admitted reluctantly. _I just don't know what more Sephiroth or I can do to restrain our friend. We can't afford to send him away from Midgar right now, and neither of us have the time to keep watch over him every minute._ But they couldn't afford to let this festering resentment from the junior ranks grow any worse, either.

Definitely a problem.

"Angeal," Zack queried worriedly. "You _are_ doing something about him, aren't you? I know he's a 1st Class of the highest caliber, but he intended to _kill_ Kunsel. In a fight that never would've happened if Genesis hadn't intentionally sought us out at the Crestward."

"It's a complicated situation, Zack."

Silence again. This time, tinged with a subtle mien of disappointment. Angeal heard it in his reply, too.

"That may be, but I know what the others will say. They'll wonder who might be his next target, and how much worse they'll fare when they have to take him on alone."

"I assure you there's no need for worry along those lines. This is an isolated case with extenuating circumstances."

"Is it?"

Before he could answer the question, Zack held up a hand to be allowed to finish his point. Angeal nodded.

"You asked me to be frank, and so I will. Genesis rarely concerns himself about the welfare of anyone who isn't of equal or greater rank. On a mission, it's understood that if a 2nd Class doesn't want to become fodder, he must watch his own back- because Genesis won't."

Not words that Angeal wanted to hear. At all. But Zack was right- he'd asked for candor. And it seemed the man still had more yet to say.

"None of us like it, but we've come to accept it as the risk we take on the battlefield. Or in the practice room. You know where you stood and what to expect. But after Junon..." Zack paused a moment as if trying to find the right words. "The rules have changed, Angeal. He's taken that attitude out of the battlefield and into everyday business around Shinra. I don't know why, but you can't deny it's true."

It was. And he was just as perplexed as to the underlying cause for Genesis' change as Zack was. No answers, even after weeks of asking the question. Not the time to dwell on that, though. Focus on what he could do about the problems faced by the junior ranks. As a 1st Class, he was responsible for their welfare.

"I won't deny it, Zack," he replied at last. "As for the anxiety you speak of- would I be right to say that you _all_ feel this way?"

"Some more than others. But the fight with Kunsel has made quite the impact over the last two days."

He didn't want to ask, but he had to know.

"Enough to spark more violence?"

Zack regarded him carefully for several minutes. Long enough that Angeal already had an idea how he might answer. He waited and prepared himself as best as he could.

"The next time Genesis attacks another SOLDIER, angry muttering is the least of what Shinra can expect in response. The junior ranks will _not_ be content to stand on the sidelines in the _hope_ that the other 1st Classes will step in to help them."

 _And what about you, Zack? Will you join them if your fellow SOLDIERs rise up against Genesis?_

A question Angeal found he couldn't ask aloud. Instead, he redirected their discussion along a more productive path. Or at least he hoped so.

"Bloodshed is an avenue I think you and I both agree is one we'd like to avoid. And one that if we work together, we _can_ avoid."

"That won't be easy, Angeal."

"No, it won't be. But it's the right thing to do."

Zack couldn't argue with that, but must have felt the need to express his lingering concerns.

"What about Genesis?"

"I'll speak with Sephiroth. We'll figure out something."

The man did not seem convinced, and Angeal sighed. "This _will_ be handled, Zack."

"I hope so. I truly hope so."

"In the meantime, I would appreciate your assistance as a liaison between us and the other 2nd Classes. To be the voice of reason in the event things get ugly. Remind them why they joined SOLDIIER and the code of honor they're sworn to."

"I'll do my best," he replied, no trace of hesitation.

"That's all I ask."

Their discussion essentially concluded, Angeal retrieved the file he'd set aside earlier. Zack read the cue and rose from his chair.

"If that's all, I ought to be going. Get as early a start as I can before tomorrow."

"Yes, we're finished here."

Zack nodded in farewell and closed the door behind him. Once he was gone, Angeal released the breath he'd been holding. A bad business, indeed. His thoughts returned to what the 2nd Class had said regarding Genesis. Question was- _what_ had caused his friend to change so drastically lately?

If he could answer that riddle, Angeal felt they had a chance to fix the trouble brewing within SOLDIER before it was too late. _If_. That was the trouble. He and Sephiroth had been trying for weeks without success. Everything they did only pushed Genesis further away.

 _Guess we'll just have to try harder._

Meaning he'd have to convince Sephiroth to keep up the fight. He'd made it clear a few days ago that he was done with the man until he started 'acting reasonably'. Changing his mind wouldn't be easy. Possibly more difficult than the task he'd just assigned to Fair. But it was his duty, and Angeal never let the difficulty of the task stop him from getting it done.

* * *

With a final glance at the door closed behind him, Zack strode down the corridor in the direction of the lounge. He should have gone to the practice rooms, having booked a session with Jesse. But at the moment, he just couldn't concentrate on training. Best if he didn't try or he could get himself injured very easily. Distractions of any kind were lethal in a fight- even a friendly one.

This late in the afternoon, he wasn't surprised to find the lounge abuzz with activity. Most of his colleagues were relaxing before they left for the day. Some might were likely killing time between assignments. Zack scanned the room for anyone he knew, but Luxiere must have been at practice yet.

 _And I've yet to see more than a passing glimpse of Lilith over the last few days._

Not that he'd intentionally gone out of his way to find her. Too tempting to bring up the conflict that had begun the week- in particular, the argument that Kunsel mentioned. The one he'd had with Lilith. But he'd promised Kunsel to let the matter go. And as much as he didn't _like_ it, he did it, anyway.

Just like the promise he'd given Angeal only minutes ago. He wasn't against trying to keep the conflict as peaceful as possible. Not at all. In fact, he would prefer to resolve things without violence. So he would do as he'd promised, and hope it was enough. Problem was, Zack wasn't sure it would be.

The murmurs of earlier this week had swelled into a dangerous undercurrent of resentment for the 1st Classes- Genesis in particular. But that didn't mean Angeal and Sephiroth escaped their fury. Zack had told his mentor the truth just now. The junior ranking SOLDIERs saw their lack of action to contain Genesis as a betrayal. A betrayal that was not so easily mended by a few words about the SOLDIER's code and honor.

 _Especially if Genesis_ does _go after Kunsel- or anyone else- when he returns tomorrow._ So Zack would pray that the arrogant 1st Class came to his senses over the last few days and would give up torturing his friends. _And if we're lucky, that will keep this from turning into an all out war between the ranks._

Shaking himself from those dismal thoughts, Zack refocused his attention on what he was doing. Since Luxiere wasn't around, he'd settle in here and wait for him. Maybe he could convince his friend to go out for the evening. _So long as it isn't the Crestward,_ he added silently. _Might want to stay away from there for a while._

Zack looked for an open table somewhere. Not a whole lot of options, from what he could see. Most of the tables had been commandeered by groups of 2nd and 3rd Classes. But at last he spied one in the far corner. Before he could reach it, however, someone called out his name.

"Hey Fair, you got someone here looking for you."

Didn't recognize the voice, but he assumed that Jesse had come by to find out why he wasn't at practice. He pivoted on his heel to head back, and immediately checked his stride in surprise. The SOLDIER hovering just inside the door wasn't Jesse.

 _Why is_ Lilith _looking for me?_

Since Junon, she _never_ sought him out. So whatever she wanted, it had to be important. And likely didn't bode well for him. Lilith must have seen him hesitate, and motioned for Zack to meet her at the door. Mystified, he obeyed.

"Lilith, what's the…" he began, but she shook her head.

"Not here." Her glance flicked to the SOLDIERs milling around the room behind him. "Somewhere less crowded. Store room?"

"Bit cramped. What about the far conference room? No one's in there unless there's a briefing."

"Yeah, that'd be better," she agreed with a nod.

They walked down the hall, back the way he'd just come. But instead of stopping at any of the offices reserved for the 1st Classes, they just kept going to the end of the corridor. As he expected, the room was empty. Lilith preceded him inside, having said nothing the whole way. Zack closed the door and leaned against the massive desk at the front of the room.

"All right, we're here. You want to tell me why?"

"We need to talk."

Taken aback at the directness of her reply, he just stared at her for a minute. When the shock had worn off, he couldn't stop himself from saying what first came to mind.

"That's a bit of a surprise, coming from you."

Lilith looked somewhat chagrined, and fidgeted with the waistband of her fatigues. She circled to the far side of the desk and sat straddling the corner. For a time, she said nothing, swinging her feet as she stared at the ground. He regretted having made his remark.

"That's not…" he sighed. "I didn't mean it like…"

"No," she interrupted him. "You're right. I've been avoiding you and…well every one, I guess. For weeks."

Yeah, and after the lecture two days ago, he had an even better understanding why. So when she paused, Zack felt he needed to speak up.

"It wasn't your fault, Lilith."

"What?"

"Whatever happened with Genesis at the club. I know you think it is- and that you told Angeal as much when you met with him. But it's not."

She considered him for a moment.

"I'm guessing that subject came up earlier this week?"

"It did."

Lilith was not at all happy to hear that. A few times, she started to say something, stopped, and fell silent again. In the end, she must have decided she didn't want to know just _how_ it had come up and what was said. Instead, Lilith went back to his comment about the nightclub.

"I should have refused the dance."

"He wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer, Lilith."

Now she sighed.

"Zack, I appreciate that you want to defend me, but I'm an adult. I make my own choices and I own up to when I made the wrong one. I need you to give me that much respect, okay?"

Grudgingly, he nodded. Lilith had a point. And as much as he wanted the blame to fall solely on Genesis, Zack couldn't deny that if she'd chosen differently on the dancefloor, perhaps the worst of that disaster might not have happened.

"Yeah, okay. But," he continued in a firm voice. "Only if you will agree that Genesis owns _his_ share of things. Just because _you_ made a mistake doesn't mean he gets a pass on what _he_ did."

Stubborn silence. Lilith went back to staring at the ground, kicking the side of the desk with her feet. Zack merely waited it out, not intending to change the subject or move forward until she addressed his point. Didn't take long for Lilith to figure that out. She relented with a shrug.

"He didn't have to behave like such an ass."

 _Well, that's_ something. _More than she's said about that night so far._ Zack was tempted to ask her more about it- see what she meant by 'behave like an ass'. Before he could, though, she shifted the direction of their conversation. The opportunity was lost.

"But to get back to the point of why I asked you here…" Lilith said with equal obstinacy. "I felt that I owed you and the other guys an explanation. I know I already said some of this, but not really _why_. I may have had my reasons, but it still wasn't right."

"Lilith."

"Just shut up a minute. I have to say this, so it would really help if you'd just listen." He didn't argue with her, and so Lilith continued. "I thought that by stepping back and keeping things professional that Genesis would lose interest and forget the whole business in Junon.

"Well, he didn't, did he? If anything, I made it _easier_ for him to play his game. And after what happened earlier this week, I've decided I'm not interested in making _anything_ easy for Genesis. Not for him- or those other two. Not anymore."

As glad as Zack was that maybe Lilith meant to be friends again, the underlying threat in those words made him a little uneasy. Did she intend to raise trouble? He felt it was his duty to ask.

"Lilith, what exactly are you planning? You're not thinking to fight Genesis, are you?"

"I'm not suicidal, Zack," she assured him. "I know how _that_ would play out. But I'm done putting up with his snide comments. Or letting him think that he's won because I've gone hiding from a confrontation."

 _Now I_ really _hope Genesis leaves well enough alone when he comes back tomorrow._

"But most importantly," Lilith added. "I'm not letting him decide who I'm friends with."

Zack smiled at that.

"I'm glad to hear it. We've missed you, Lilith."

She smiled back, but he could see a hesitation behind it. As if she wanted to ask something. Zack was about to prompt her when she spoke.

"Yeah, about that…"

"About what?"

"You wouldn't happen to have spoken with Kunsel lately, would you?"

Oh now _there_ was a subject Zack would rather avoid. He didn't want to get into that complicated mess when his friend had specifically told him to stay out of it. And yet he couldn't just dodge the question, either. He had to tell her _something._ Se he'd keep it general- until he found out what Lilith was after.

"I saw him a few days ago at his place."

"But not since?"

"No, why?"

Lilith got up from her perch and began pacing. Obviously troubled. So her question had to be more than just idle curiosity, then. Zack sighed inwardly and resigned himself to whatever came of digging himself any deeper.

"Lilith, what's the matter?"

"I left him a voicemail. The day after the…" more hesitation. "…fight with Genesis. He hasn't called back."

"He told me when I saw him that he wanted time to himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not taking calls, either. Anyway, he'll be back tomorrow, so-"

"We argued," she cut in, still pacing. "Kunsel and I. We got into an ugly argument before he left that morning."

 _So I heard_.

"Well, he wasn't in the best of moods after the thing with Angeal."

"It was my fault."

So much for trying to keep this general. All those times when he'd wished that Lilith would communicate more was coming back to haunt him now. Zack did not appreciate the irony. He merely gritted his teeth and kept going.

"Your fault how?"

"I…I can't tell you that. But it was, and I was really hoping to talk to Kunsel about it _before_ he came back to Shinra tomorrow."

That could have gone worse. But now Zack was stuck, not quite sure what to do. He knew what Kunsel had asked of him, and what his friend had said. On the other hand, Lilith seemed genuinely worried. Still, it wasn't his place to explain to her why Kunsel was so upset. No good way out of this, no matter how he looked at it.

And then an idea struck him.

 _Let's just hope Kunsel doesn't murder me later for this._

"So why didn't you just go talk to him in person?"

* * *

I slammed to a stop at Zack's suggestion. Go to Kunsel's apartment. In person. Not exactly my first choice; I was nervous enough having this conversation over the phone. But if Kunsel didn't call back- and I was pretty certain at this point that he _wouldn't_ \- what other choice did I have?

 _Because we aren't having_ that _discussion here at Headquarters._

I glanced over to Zack, who hadn't moved since we'd come in here. He still leaned against the desk, hands braced on either side as his fingers curled over its edge. Judging by the earnest expression on his face, he really thought this would work. That was Zack, though. Ever the optimist.

"I dunno…" I hedged. "Suppose he's not there?"

 _Or suppose he is, and that he won't talk to me?_

"The way I see it, the best you can do is try. If you really want to talk with him today, that's your best chance."

Not wanting to commit to anything in front of him, I merely said, "I'll think about it, Zack."

"Guess I'll have to take what I can get."

He ran a hand through his hair with a rueful grin. I tried to return it, though wasn't sure how well I pulled it off. And so the two of us sat there for a minute or two. Conversation stalled. Zack realized it first and attempted to restart it by asking a question.

"So was there anything else you had on your mind?"

"No, nothing else." I considered why he might be asking, and quickly shot back a question of my own. "Were you on your way somewhere? I didn't really think…"

"Not at all. I mean, I was _supposed_ to practice with Jesse, but I'd already decided to skip out on that, anyway."

"Oh, good."

"But I _was_ thinking I might find Lux and see what he's up to for this evening. Neither of us have duties assigned after-hours."

He paused, as if debating what to say next. I smiled and shook my head at him.

"Don't worry about inviting me along. I dunno if I'll go see Kunsel or not. But even if I don't, I'm not quite feeling up to doing…social stuff."

Thankfully, Zack understood I wasn't just trying to give him the brush off for once.

"I figured. But if you change your mind- just give me a call. Okay?"

"Sure."

We left the conference room, and headed back towards the lounge. I hadn't noticed until now just how late it had become. The hallways were completely empty. I expected that our colleagues would have likewise vacated the lounge. Could be that even Luxiere might have already gone.

I was about to say so to Zack when we passed the door to Angeal's office. It was slightly ajar, and I couldn't help noticing the sliver of light from within. Or the unmistakable murmur of voices- Angeal and Sephiroth- in conversation with one another. _Serious_ conversation, from the sound of it.

 _I wonder why they're still here- and what all_ that _is about._

Didn't dare slow my steps, though. Wasn't worth the trouble if either of them caught me eavesdropping. In fact, I picked up the pace just to ensure we rounded the corner before the sound of our footfalls gave our presence away. One late night grilling session with them was plenty.

Zack, meanwhile, wasn't concerned either way. I wasn't even sure if he'd noticed that Angeal's office hadn't been empty at this hour. Or perhaps he knew about the meeting. I doubted it, though. In any case, I was just glad he didn't ask me why I was suddenly walking so quickly. A voice like his carried easily.

We parted company just before reaching the elevator. He went off in search of Luxiere; I hit the button for the lobby. On the ride down, I weighed my options about what to do in regards to Kunsel. With fifty-some odd floors in between, that gave me a decent amount of time to make my decision. So when the doors opened to the deserted lobby, I headed for the exit and turned left.

The direction of Kunsel's apartment.

Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at his building. Stared up at it for a little while, asking myself if this was really what I wanted to do. Decided it was. So I skimmed over the list of tenants on the door's intercom to find Kunsel's buzzer.

Apartment 7b.

I was about to press it, and then someone pushed the door open from the inside. The man tipped a nod to me and held it politely so that I could pass through. Nice of him, but now I was about to show up at Kunsel's door without even a warning I was here. How awkward might _that_ be if he refused to see me? Guess I'd find out.

The elevator- which had to be the _slowest_ one in the world- carried me up to the seventh floor. With each 'ping' as it marked our upward journey, my anxiety rose. Dry mouth; rapid pulse; clammy hands. Oh yeah, I was a total wreck. And so when the doors opened to dump my neurotic ass onto Kunsel's doorstep, I was sorely tempted to forget the whole thing and creep silently away like a coward.

 _Don't you dare,_ I ordered myself sharply. _You've already come this far, so you're going to talk to him._ As the doors began to close, I scurried out of the elevator just in time.

 _And now for the hardest part._ A deep breath. Then another. _Come on, Lilith. You can do this._

I knocked.

* * *

"Did you hear that?"

Sephiroth glanced up from the reports littering the desk in front of him. His friend was staring intently at the door, his whole posture as if on high alert. A few seconds ticked by. Not a sound.

"Hear what?"

"Could have sworn I heard footsteps in the hall," Angeal muttered. "I think I'll go check…"

"Angeal, would you calm yourself. No one is out there this late."

His friend resumed sitting, although his whole demeanor bespoke unease. They went through this routine every time they met for these late night sessions. And aside from that very first evening where they'd crossed paths with Lilith, the paranoia never met with any real threat to their secrecy. This evening was no different.

Sephiroth shook his head and went back to reading. The newest reports from Banora and Mideel had arrived today- all of them bearing bad news. Mysterious disappearances still plagued the region, despite attempts to be cautious on open waters. The same was said of coastal villages around Wutai. So far, the _only_ place not reporting back was Junon.

 _Big surprise_.

Sephiroth's last attempt to procure information from that city had met with no luck at all. No one had been willing to meet with any of the SOLDIERs he'd tasked with the assignment. Discouraging, to say the least. Ominous, if he wanted to put a sharper point on it.

In the middle of that thought, he realized that Angel had asked him something.

"Say again?"

"I asked if you'd seen anything of Genesis these past few days."

"No, why?"

"I just find it odd that he disappeared almost as soon as he'd left the building."

"Well," Sephiroth took his eyes off the page for a moment and shrugged. "You _did_ order him to steer clear of Shinra Headquarters until tomorrow."

"And that's what concerns me. Lately, it seems our friend can't follow any order he's given- from anyone. So _now_ he chooses to obey?"

Despite his friend's frustrated complaint, Sephiroth couldn't hide his amusement about the whole situation. Nor could he resist pointing it out.

"You're not happy that he's insubordinate. You're not happy when he's following his orders. There's just no winning around you, Angeal, is there?"

Angeal let out a resigned sigh and accepted the humor of the contradiction. Even allowed himself a brief laugh before he grew serious again. The man stood up and made a circuit of the room.

"I haven't seen him on town, either, Sephiroth."

"Since when do you take in the night life?"

"Since it came to my attention that perhaps I should pay more attention to the antics of our good friend."

"Meaning since Junon," he supplied artlessly while turning a page. "I must say that I admire your devotion to the cause. I know how much you loathe the club scene."

"I'm serious. This is a problem."

"Oh I agree with you. I'm just not sure how trailing around after Genesis will solve it."

"We need to do something about him."

He caught the emphasis on 'we' and raised an eyebrow at the man.

"I told you- I'm through trying to make him see reason. I won't waste anymore of my time to help Genesis get his head out of his ass. Let him find his way out for himself."

Angeal stopped his pacing and leaned over the desk. Since he'd effectively blocked the overhead light, making it impossible to read, Sephiroth sat back to give him his full attention.

"I don't mean for Genesis' sake," Angeal said grimly.

"For whose, then? That 2nd Class- Kunsel? Or Lilith, perhaps?"

"Not even just for them. Sephiroth-" he paused before finishing his point- "I spoke with Fair this afternoon. This rivalry between Genesis and Kunsel has created a rift between the junior ranks and the 1st Classes. A hostile divide that means to tear SOLDIER apart if we can't find some means of checking Genesis' behavior.

"You know as well as I do that we can't afford to lose their support. Not if we hope to do anything about _this,_ " Angeal tapped the sheaves of paper on his desk. "We _need_ them, whether you want to admit it or not."

Although he hated to agree, Angeal did have a point. If he planned to thwart whoever was behind this Leviathan conspiracy, he needed 2nd Classes to assist with the legwork. It would not do to have them aggravated to the point they were of no use to him. Sephiroth hadn't wanted to get involved in the whole business, but it would seem he had no choice.

"Fair thinks the situation is that grave," he queried in an effort to gauge just how concerned he ought to be.

"He does. And I'm not so sure he won't side with the rest of the 2nd Classes if it comes to open conflict."

Definitely a concern. Fair was the most promising of the 2nd Classes, and if he might join their cause…well, Sephiroth couldn't have that. He cursed Genesis for putting them in such a precarious situation before applying himself to finding a solution. Preferably one that wouldn't require too much of his time.

The first four or five ideas that came to him, Sephiroth rejected immediately as being impractical or risky. And the more time passed without finding an acceptable alternative, the more irritated he became. He glared at the reports scattered on the desk, as if maybe he'd see an answer there, but not expecting it.

Surprisingly, one did come to him.

 _Perhaps a solution isn't what we need right now,_ he told himself thoughtfully. _What we need is time, and a distraction that will keep the principal players in this little drama from making the situation worse._ He had the perfect plan that could provide them with this temporary reprieve.

"What do you think about sending the 2nd Classes to Junon? On assignment."

Angeal stood back and considered him for a minute or two before asking, "Doing what, exactly?"

"I've gotten nothing back from that direction since our meeting with Lazard. I'm thinking the people of Junon might be more forthcoming around the SOLDIERs who helped save the city not too long ago."

"How would you explain sending them to Junon? Lazard is going to want a reason."

Now Sephiroth paused to think. He knew what might spark the interest of the Director enough not to ask too many questions.

"Call it a PR campaign. Letting the people know that Shinra cares and is interested in how they've rebuilt after the devastation."

"Could be a risk. Might get it by Lazard all right, but what if the Mayor suspects what you're up to?"

"Use the Mayor's prejudices against him."

"His what?"

"You saw him at the briefings- especially after the Leviathan battle. I'm sure you remember the patronizing spiel he gave to Lilith. He doesn't see her as a true SOLDIER. So if we emphasize _her_ as the main focus of the group…"

"He won't see them as a serious threat," Angeal finished with a slow nod. "I see what you're getting at."

Neither of them spoke for a while, pondering the potential benefits and obstacles of such a plan. Sephiroth could think of quite a few of the latter, but his friend voiced his first.

"You think she could do it, Sephiroth? We're talking a central role, and this mission could be more dangerous than the last one. It's not even the kind of mission SOLDIERs are really trained to do."

Sephiroth shuffled the reports, re-reading their panicked accounts of ships, goods and people- all lost without a trace. It all had something in connection to the Junon mission. He was sure of it. That meant he had to find out what was going on in that city.

 _Do I think Lilith can help me get what I need?_

He considered everything he'd observed about her over the past three and a half weeks. Countless footage of her training sessions had shown him she did have skills in a fight. She'd handled the situation with Genesis well enough that he was convinced she could keep a level temper in a tense situation. And the few times they'd spoken- well, if she wasn't afraid of _him_ , then someone like the Mayor stood little chance.

Sephiroth looked Angeal square in the eye as he delivered his reply.

"Yes, I believe she can."


	15. Chapter 15: So Simple So Complicated

**Author's Note: The POV section with Genesis and Danita gets a little amorous. Nothing outrageous, but read at your own risk.**

* * *

I stood in the hallway, debating whether to knock again. Or scamper back to the safety of the elevator. Whichever. But I did neither, merely shuffling nervously from one foot to the other as the seconds ticked by. Seconds that turned into minutes.

 _Well, you have to do_ something _,_ I admonished myself. _Either knock again or quit standing around._

So I knocked- this time a little louder than before. A second later, I thought I heard sounds from within. Footsteps. Coming closer to the door. And then a voice called out.

"Just a minute."

The rattle of a chain drawn; the click as a lock released. I held my breath as the door swung inward, bringing us face to face. Kunsel must have been about to say something else, but swallowed the words in shock. Clearly, he had been expecting someone else and not me. I wondered if he'd known, if he'd have opened the door.

"Lilith," he managed to say after several moments of awkward silence. I admired his efforts to keep his tone even, despite the underlying strain he couldn't completely hide. "I thought you were the…wasn't expecting you."

"No, I doubt you were." I let out the breath I'd been holding and added, "But I wasn't sure you'd gotten my voicemail, and-"

"I did," Kunsel interrupted me before I could finish.

Not the most encouraging response. In fact, I got the impression that maybe I should have listened to my instincts and left well enough alone. I bit my lower lip and tried not to look at my shoes. They weren't going to help me out of this mess. Nope, I'd have to do it myself. In the back of my mind, I cursed Zack and his optimism for suggesting this ill-conceived plan. Cursed myself, too, for listening to him.

"Oh. Well, I guess in that case, I…um…maybe I ought to just go."

Silence.

Yep, definitely a mistake to come here. I took a step backwards. Kunsel must have recognized my intent to escape, and came out into the hall. But that only caused me to take another step away from him.

"Lilith, wait." I hesitated long enough for him to entreat me grimly, "You're already here. You might as well tell me what you came to say."

I eyed the elevator, now just a few feet behind me. Very tempting to turn down his less than enthusiastic invitation. But he was right. I was here, and I didn't want to call myself a coward for the foreseeable future for running away now. Gathering up what little courage I had left, I squared my shoulders and looked Kunsel in the eye.

"Did you not call back because you don't want to talk to me?"

A long pause. He shrugged, feigning nonchalance that I could tell he didn't really feel, and said, "I wasn't sure what I wanted to do."

"I suppose that's fair," I answered quietly. "And if you don't want to talk now, I can go."

Kunsel didn't respond straight away, giving me the impression that he was seriously considering that option. In the end, though, he gestured to his apartment.

"No, I think you're right. It's time we talked."

As I followed him inside, I just hoped that neither of us would regret that decision when the conversation ended. And that we'd survive whatever was meant to come of it. Kunsel invited me to sit. I chose one of the grey armchairs; he took the other, which put us facing one another. I fought against the urge to fuss with a frayed seam on the armrest. He seemed just as unequal to the task of facing the upcoming discussion, but made the first attempt, anyway.

"So, I guess you want to talk about earlier this week."

 _Oh I wish it were that simple, Kunsel._

"Not yet. Because, as you pointed out a few days ago, it's not right for me to demand answers when I won't give any. And that's part of what I came here to do. Give answers."

He regarded me for a moment before asking cautiously, "What _sort_ of answers?"

"Whatever ones you ask me for," I replied just as carefully.

"Genesis and the nightclub?"

"If that's what you want."

I'd expected Kunsel to have prepared a list of questions about that evening, and that he'd have no trouble voicing them. Apparently, I thought wrong. Kunsel sat in his chair for nearly ten minutes, obviously thinking to himself. Likely wondering just how much he _did_ want to know, now that I was willing to talk. I waited out whatever he might decide, undeniably apprehensive. If he was uncertain about asking the questions, I was far more nervous about supplying the answers. Eventually, Kunsel must have made up his mind.

"Why did you dance with him, Lilith?"

"Honestly? I thought if I let him have his way about a dance, I'd avoid an argument and maybe smooth things over from that morning. Had I known…" I sighed irritably and shook my head. "An error in judgment, and not one of my smarter moments."

"I'm guessing you've just assumed that because you didn't refuse, this whole damned thing was your fault?"

Almost the same point Zack had made when he and I were talking about the subject. I wasn't surprised to hear it again- or the anger with which Kunsel expressed his theory. And since I'd already owned to it once, no sense denying it now.

"All right, yes. I'll admit that's how I've viewed things." Still, I couldn't let it go without some kind of fight. "But you can't blame me when Angeal all but told me it was."

My confession did not appease him one bit, and might have made him even angrier. The tone of his voice resonated with fury when he demanded, "What did he say?"

 _Oh geez, the last thing either of us need is for Kunsel to add Angeal as another target._ If I wasn't more careful, he'd end up getting into fistfights with all three of the 1st Classes over Junon. So I resolved to find the least inflammatory way of describing my meeting with Angeal. Only, when I tried to pick out the exact words the 1st Class had used, I ran into more difficulty than I expected.

Not because I found damning evidence that wouldn't be wise to share. Quite the opposite, actually. It hadn't struck me before this moment just how _little_ Angeal had said during that meeting. Most of my understanding of his opinions had been inferences from expressions. Expressions that I realized now could have meant any number of things. And because I chose not enough to ask…

"I guess he didn't say anything," I murmured almost to myself. Then in a firmer voice I explained to Kunsel what I meant. "I just…sensed that he was angry about the altercation with Genesis and just _assumed_ he judged me guilty of causing it. But thinking now- maybe I was mistaken."

 _And maybe if I hadn't been so quick to believe that he'd take Genesis' side, I might have told him what I'm about to tell you. Maybe by keeping all this a secret I've unintentionally brought about the very outcome I was so sure would come to pass. I expected no help from Angeal, and because I gave him nothing he might have found useful against Genesis, I got no help._

An unpleasant revelation. One I'd have to think about. Later. Focus on one thing at a time. Right now I had plenty to resolve between me and Kunsel without adding that quandary on top of it. But I did voice those thoughts aloud, unable to keep them bottled up now that they'd surfaced.

"I never thought that he'd take any side other than Genesis'. For all he's lectured us on the SOLDIER code of honor and doing the right thing, I didn't believe in this case that he would take his own advice. That he'd just go along with Sephiroth, and they'd make excuses for their friend."

Here Kunsel cleared his throat, and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Something about the mention of Sephiroth must have provoked that reaction. I quirked an eyebrow at him, a silent invitation for Kunsel to enlighten me as to what that might be. He debated for a moment whether or not to say anything before relenting with a wary frown.

"Both of them hold Genesis responsible for the trouble in Junon. Even Sephiroth." My disbelief must have been plain, because Kunsel elaborated on how he'd come to that conclusion. "During the lecture earlier this week, Genesis tried to blame you for Junon. Sephiroth stated quite bluntly that he was the one who started it. He and Angeal both indicated that they've discussed that fact with Genesis numerous times since we returned to Midgar."

"You don't wonder if maybe it was all for show because you and the guys were there?"

"At the time, I had difficulty crediting it. But I've had a few days to think about that morning, and to see things I might have missed at the time. Or-" he mused ruefully- "like you, might have assumed because that's how I expected the two of them to react."

"Well," I replied wryly. "If that _is_ true, then I guess Genesis is feeling quite outnumbered lately, having no one to agree with him. Might explain a few things."

We lapsed into silence for a while. Neither of us wanted to discuss the fight he'd had with Genesis just yet- or _why_ he'd done it. I wasn't eager to retrace our steps back to the nightclub, either. But I'd promised. So I felt bound by that promise to give Kunsel the opportunity to hear whatever he needed to know about that evening.

"And to get back to the explaining," I offered tentatively. "Was there…anything _else_ you'd wanted to ask about Junon?"

* * *

The sun had slipped below the horizon well over an hour ago. All over Midgar, lights twinkled in the darkened streets. Beckoning the city's inhabitants to explore entertainments that only came alive at night. Genesis stared out the window of his apartment, a drink in one hand while the other rested against the frame. For the hundredth time in the last two days, he asked himself why he wasn't out there doing just that.

"Genesis, sweetie, what are you looking at?"

 _Oh yeah,_ he told himself with a slightly bemused smile. _That's why._

Since he brought Danita to his apartment, they'd scarcely left it for more than an hour or two. Hell, they'd scarcely left the _bedroom._

 _The lady certainly has redefined my understanding of the word 'insatiable'._

Without bothering to answer, he brought the drink to his lips to indulge in a measured swallow. Before he lowered it again, a pair of hands slipped around his waist. They drifted upwards in a lingering, possessive caress as Danita pressed her body against his. He didn't need to turn around to know she hadn't bothered to dress.

"Didn't you hear me? I asked what you were looking at."

"Just admiring the city, Danita my dear."

"What could be so interesting about some _boring_ old city," she pouted. "Why don't you come with me and I'll show you something _worthy_ of your attention."

Genesis cast his gaze over his shoulder. Danita's lips had puckered into a frown intended to be equal parts sullen and seductive. Just as he expected. Jealous. She couldn't stand not to be the center of attention. Even if her competition consisted of structures built of concrete and steel. Genesis flashed the comely brunette a reassuring smile.

"How could you think I'd prefer the view of dull buildings to a beautiful woman like you?"

"Well then, sweetie, why waste any more time?"

"Think of it as a means of heightening anticipation, darling. You'll enjoy the fun so much more if you've had to wait for it."

"Oh but I could _never_ be content to wait- even if only for a short while," Danita purred in his ear. "And I just _know_ how to convince you to agree with me."

Even before having finished that sentence, her right hand slithered down his abdomen to the waistband of his trousers. Genesis sucked in a breath when those tapered fingertips dipped lower; edged beneath the expensive silk; skimmed tantalizingly along the crease of his hip and inner thigh. He might have protested, but then Danita stole his ability to think with one expertly delivered stroke. His own fingers curled involuntarily around the window frame, eyes closing as her hand closed around him and glided over his cock with exquisite mastery.

 _Focus,_ he ordered himself harshly, cutting through the sensual haze. _Remember what you wanted before you get too caught up in what she wants._

Easier said than done when the woman knew just how to play with a man's body to deliver the sharpest relief. Even after two days- nearly three- of reveling in the pleasures of bedding her, Genesis found himself craving still more of that ecstasy. Already fully aroused, he could have easily succumbed to that desire. Only the barest of self-control kept him from guiding the two of them to his bed. Instead, he closed a hand firmly around Danita's wrist and drew her hand away. Not surprisingly, she was less than happy to have been thwarted.

"But _Genesis_ ," she whined plaintively. "Don't you want me?"

More than he wanted to admit. Which was why he needed to resist- resist while he still _could_. Take control before he lost it altogether. Genesis knew he was flirting with danger, but he turned to face her. With difficulty, he ignored the sight of her lush body and the open invitation in her eyes.

"You know I do, darling, but I thought tonight it would be fun to spend a few hours on the town." She stood on tiptoe and would have murmured her siren's words in his ear had he not pressed on with a suggestion designed to flatter her vanity. "Do you blame me for wanting to show you off and give everyone else a reason to be jealous?"

Danita considered his offer, but was by no means convinced yet. She traced a fingernail lightly over his bare chest and smiled wickedly.

"That doesn't mean we can't have just a _little_ more fun before we go out."

Except with Danita, a _little_ fun quickly turned into an hour. Or two. Or an entire evening. If they went back to bed now, they'd never leave the room. Genesis cupped her cheek and managed to take a step back.

"I've enjoyed you all to myself far too long- it would be selfish of me to monopolize such a beauty."

 _And maybe if I get us out of here, your appetites will be distracted long enough to give me some time to myself_.

As he'd never entertained a woman for more than an evening, he was ill-prepared for how exhausting it had been to satisfy Danita's constant need for his attention. In bed and out. How many times could he repeat the same endearments before the words lost all meaning? Supposing they ever _had_ meant anything to Genesis- which they _hadn't_. But Danita couldn't hear them often enough, and believed them just as whole-heartedly as the morning she turned up at Shinra Headquarters.

Mulling those thoughts over proved to be an almost fatal mistake, as his inattention allowed her to close the space between them with a step of her own.

"What do all those other people matter," she crooned while trying to reach for him again. "After all, I came to Midgar to see _you_ , my love."

"And I am honored, my lady. But you've been so generous these past few days that I only wish to show you how much I appreciate it. Let me take you out."

"Well…"

"C'mon. I'll show you a good time- I promise."

She relented with an impish giggle, "All right, then. Since you _promise_."

Genesis waited for her to turn her back before letting any relief show on his face. He'd fought many battles in his career with Shinra. Right now, he couldn't think of one that compared to combating the desires of this slip of a girl. But then, he supposed this was a little different; Danita wasn't an enemy to be destroyed- just a lovely lady who took the role as his lover _very_ seriously. Their skirmishes played by a different set of rules, and win or lose, Genesis couldn't complain _too_ much about the terms of surrender.

 _Don't start thinking like that now. Best you get dressed before she notices and you have to fight that battle all over again. Next time, you're less likely to win._

With that in mind, Genesis set his empty glass on a table and rifled through his closet for something to wear. The pants were suitable, but as for a dress shirt…he chose one of deep burgundy and shrugged into it. Genesis left the top buttons undone and finger-combed his hair to leave it slightly tousled. By the time he'd finished, Danita appeared ready to leave.

"Well, my lady, shall we go?"

"Whatever you want, sweetie."

* * *

"Why did you pick this place?" Luxiere leaned in close to be heard over the music filling the club. "I mean, I know we can't go back to the Crestward just yet. But why _here_?"

Zack cast a look around, thinking of an answer to his friend's question. He really didn't have a good one. Maybe he'd just felt like going somewhere to forget the mess brewing at Shinra. Somewhere he wouldn't be tempted to burden his friend with any of what he'd spoken to Angeal about this afternoon. In a place like this, unlikely they'd do much talking. But he couldn't tell Luxiere that, either.

"Change of pace," he said at last. "Haven't been to a club since Junon."

His friend nodded, and said nothing for a few minutes- waiting for a lull in the noise level before making his reply.

"Yeah, I don't think Kunsel will want to see the inside of one for a while yet. You know, on account of how the Genesis thing ended."

An understatement. No, Kunsel wouldn't be interested in the club scene. Maybe not for a few months. That hadn't been foremost in his mind when he chose this place tonight, but Zack was glad not to deal with that complication. Much easier if their friend was still at home and wouldn't be joining them.

 _I wonder if Lilith went to see him._

When they parted company at the elevator, she hadn't decided one way or another. Rather, she _said_ she hadn't. Zack hoped she would, if for no other reason than to be done with the secret-keeping. Kunsel may have thought denying his feelings was the wisest decision. Maybe it was. Until Junon. But if the past month had taught them anything, the denial wasn't working anymore. It might not fix anything between the two of them- or get Kunsel what he wanted- but if Lilith confronted him, that might ease some of the pent up tension.

Zack shook himself out of those thoughts and redirected his attention to the bartender, who was handing over the cocktail he'd ordered; places like this didn't sell the ale he would have typically ordered. He thanked the woman and gave her the gil to pay for the round. Luxiere glanced at him quizzically.

"I got this one, Lux," he assured him, offering one of the glasses. "You can buy the next round."

"Sounds like a deal to me."

They looked for open seats at the bar, and seeing two at the far end, threaded their way through the crowd to reach them before they were taken. Good thing, too, because the club was packed this evening. Ladies Night. Of course it would be stuffed to the gills with young people looking to take advantage of it. As Zack claimed one of the seats for himself, he noticed the eyes of several ladies lingering on him and his friend. He couldn't tell if they were fangirls interested in SOLDIERs, or just ladies looking for a good time with young men in general. None of them approached.

 _Just as well,_ he mused. The thought of entertaining any lady no matter the reason reminded him of Junon, when Danita and her friends had pounced on them at the club. He had no wish to repeat _that_ experience. _The 1_ _st_ _Classes can have the fangirls if that's what they're all like._

The music throbbed and pulsed, making conversation impossible. He and Luxiere surveyed the room in mutual silence, sipping casually from their drinks. Watching the dancefloor stirred up other memories from Junon. Pleasant ones for once. Zack smiled to himself as he pictured Lilith, dancing and laughing. Once they'd gotten her out there, she'd had a great time. They all had.

But inevitably, his thoughts shifted to how that fun had ended, and the smile faded. He damned Genesis for spoiling everything. Zack drained the last of his drink and did his best not to scowl into the glass. Luxiere must have caught his change of expression.

"You give Kunsel hell, but you're not much better half the time," his friend commented loudly. He finished his own drink before continuing, "Admit it- you wanted to punch that bastard, too."

When Zack didn't reply, Luxiere muttered darkly, "So did I."

"It's against everything we swore to in joining SOLDIER," he said at last. "Against everything SOLDIER stands for."

"I agree it is. But that doesn't mean we're not wrong for thinking it. What Genesis did- and _continues_ to do- is against our code of honor, too."

"We have to be better than him, Lux."

The man weighed those words in his mind, swirling his tumbler absently. For a while, he neither agreed with nor argued against the point. And then he raised his eyes to Zack's, mouth set in a flat, unyielding line.

"Hard to be the better man when your opponent sees nothing wrong in tormenting and killing you." His friend stood, gestured for the empty glass in his hand and shrugged. "Here- I'll get us another round."

"Yeah, sure."

Zack continued to stare ahead, focused on a distant point on the opposite wall instead of the people milling around. In truth, he hardly registered the club at all. Most of his attention was directed at the things Luxiere had just said. They were the same words he'd been hearing among the junior ranks quite frequently these past two days. Reminded him of everything he'd come in here hoping to forget.

A dispirited sigh escaped his lips, and he tried to rub the tension from his temples. Meaning he didn't look up when he heard footsteps nearing his end of the bar. After all, he figured it was just Luxiere returning with their drinks.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" an alarmingly familiar female voice asked. "Aren't you having a good time?"

Zack's gaze snapped up to the woman standing before him. For a minute or two, he couldn't believe it. What in the world was _she_ doing in Midgar? But here she most certainly was, and the brunette seemed highly amused by his reaction. She giggled and stepped closer.

"Danita," Zack murmured as soon as his voice worked.

"Surprised to see me?"

Yes, he was. Surprised and uneasy, given that he'd only just been thinking about her a short while ago. Almost as if those thoughts had conjured her out of thin air. He tried to bury that discomforting idea in order to discover why she came here and what she might want.

"What…what brings you so far from Junon?"

Danita primped her hair with one hand as a seductive smile played on her lips. Rather than answer straight away, she advanced until she stood in the narrow space between the high stools lining the bar- didn't sit down on the one Luxiere had vacated, preferring to crowd his personal space instead. Zack found himself wishing that his friend would return. Quickly. He did _not_ like meeting this woman alone. But his friend was still waiting his turn to place his order.

"Pleasure," she answered beguilingly. "What other reason could I possibly have, sweetie?"

Everything about her response indicated trouble. He practically leapt out of his own seat, backing away from the woman. Whatever she'd come to find in this city, he was certain he didn't want any part of it. And so he managed to stammer out a reply to that effect.

"Well, lady, I hope Midgar doesn't disappoint you, but my friend and I just came in for a few drinks, so if you'll excuse me…"

"Silly soldier-boy." Again, Danita giggled at him, shaking her head. "So _nervous_. I thought SOLDIERs were supposed to be fearless and brave. Have no worry, sweetie, I'm already here with someone."

If only Zack found that assurance comforting. It wasn't. Quite the opposite, in fact. He couldn't help wondering just who that someone else might be, and hoped it wasn't the first person who came to mind. Before he could ask, Luxiere came back.

"Hey, man, who's the…"

His friend's question trailed off into shocked silence when he recognized Danita. A hard look stole into his friend's eyes; he'd made no secret in his dislike of the fangirls from Junon. Especially this one. Zack stepped up to intervene before the young SOLDIER said any number of unpleasant things to the lady.

"You remember Danita from Junon, Lux. She came to Midgar to, um, take in the sights."

"Yeah, I remember." Not the most polite tone, and his next words weren't much better. "Been having a good time of it, I imagine."

"An _excellent_ time," Danita replied as if she hadn't heard the implied insult. "And I have one of your friends to thank for it."

Those words sent an icy shiver down his spine. _Friend? Which friend? I sure as hell hope Kunsel's not mixed up with that woman._ Zack wasn't given much time to wonder about that, though. Danita glanced over her shoulder and smiled.

"Why, there he is now." She stretched out an arm invitingly to draw her mystery escort into the conversation. "Come on, sweetie. I was just talking about you to a few of your friends."

When in the next second Genesis materialized in their midst, Zack wasn't sure who was the most uncomfortable. The 1st Class certainly didn't look at all pleased to be seen here. At least not by them. He tried to hide that discomfort beneath a sardonic smile, but wasn't quick enough before Zack caught it. Perhaps Luxiere did, too. Hard to say, given how he was still scowling at Danita. As for the lady, he couldn't help feeling she was well aware of the tense undercurrents that charged the atmosphere around their quartet.

"Fair," Genesis greeted him with forced affability. "What a surprise to find you here."

"Rhapsodos," he replied, keeping his tone tightly controlled. "I was just telling the lady that we were here for a drink before heading out."

"Just the two of you? I notice your other friend is absent."

 _Thank heaven for that,_ Zack thought. _Keeping Lux in line is difficult enough without Kunsel here to make things worse._

"Yes, just us." His curt answer gave no explanation why Kunsel wasn't with them.

"Is he with your other friend," Danita asked in a tone that sounded too innocent to be idle curiosity. "The woman in the grey dress?"

Oh he did _not_ like the turn this conversation had taken. Not one bit. No good would come of Genesis finding out about the discussion he'd had with Lilith this afternoon, or what she may have done about it. But both Danita and Genesis were awaiting his answer.

"Lilith wasn't in the mood for anything overly social this evening," Zack said reluctantly, trying to ignore the smug expression on Genesis' face. "Knowing her, she likely went home."

"What a shame," the brunette pouted. "I didn't have the opportunity to meet her in Junon. I'm very curious to meet a female SOLDIER, since I didn't know there was such a thing."

"Perhaps we can convince the lady to spare an afternoon to indulge your curiosity, my dear," Genesis suggested, gaze momentarily diverted away from Zack to focus on the lady. "I'll look into it _personally_ when I'm back at Shinra Headquarters tomorrow."1

 _Oh that doesn't bode well at all._ Not at all. Especially given the eager expression on Danita's face as she clutched at Genesis.

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Of course, darling. It's the least I can do, as I'm afraid I'll have to leave you to your own devices for most of the day."

Zack watched their exchange with a sinking feeling, and shared a brief look with Luxiere. His friend was no less concerned about the prospect of Genesis talking to Lilith. Even more so when it came to anything related to Junon. He had to find some way to keep that from happening. At that moment, though, Genesis seemed to remember that Zack and Luxiere were there. He drew his lady close to his side and smiled.

"I think we've imposed on my _friends_ long enough, wouldn't you say? Shall we take our leave and…go entertain ourselves?"

Danita traced a finger along the edge of Genesis' unbuttoned dress shirt and giggled, "Why sweetie, you read my mind."

Once they'd walked away, Zack let out a breath. His friend did the same.

"Zack, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Lux. I don't know."

* * *

"Yes, there was," Kunsel answered. He leveled a determined look at me and asked, "What happened in the booth, Lilith? The waitress told us what she saw, but what _really_ happened?"

Okay, definitely not an easy question. Nor one that could be summarized in a tidy, detached explanation like the one I'd given Angeal. I owed Kunsel more than that. I took a steadying breath, let it out, and began with the part I least wanted to admit.

"He frightened me, Kunsel. Genesis did." I didn't miss the way his jaw tightened at hearing those words, but continued, anyway. "Nothing I said convinced him that I wasn't interested- never _had_ been- and he wouldn't leave. Or let me go.

"And then we got to the booth. _No one_ was there. No one even knew we were there, and I had no idea when or _if_ anyone would come back. The last time I'd felt that isolated and…unsafe was-"

The second half of that thought caught in the back of my throat and refused to come out. I hadn't meant to say it aloud at all, having barely allowed myself to think it a handful of times since Junon. I didn't want to get into all that; we were talking about the nightclub and Genesis. Not about days long past. Kunsel waited patiently, but when he realized I wasn't going to continue, he prodded gently.

"When, Lilith? You can tell me."

It wasn't about telling him; it was about telling _anyone_.

I never talked about my days before SOLDIER. If anyone asked- and it didn't take long for my colleagues to learn not to- I gave a brief and very general picture of a kid who'd found home boring and wanted some adventure. Nothing at all resembling how I'd truly grown up, or mentioning the horrible things I'd witnessed during that time. They didn't want to hear it and I certainly didn't want to tell that story. But I'd already cracked open that door, and now it was too late not to walk through it. I hoped I wasn't making a mistake.

"Since I lived on the streets of the slums," I managed to force out in a hoarse whisper. "Before signing up with Shinra."

Shock. Kunsel tried several times before he was able to reply.

"The slums…alone? No family, even?"

I shook my head.

"Don't even remember them. Died when I was just a kid, and then I had to fend for myself."

"Then the stories you told everyone before…"

"I didn't want anyone to know. Or to ask me about it. Those were not good years for me, Kunsel. I never wanted to think about them again."

Oh the look on Kunsel's face. Such sadness and fury, blended together to the point I couldn't tell which he felt more strongly in that moment. As I expected he would, he'd read between those words to hear the ones I didn't want to say aloud. He'd taken assignments in Midgar's slums often enough to know the dangers someone like me would have faced. Knew exactly what about Genesis' behavior might have reminded me of those days.

The fury won.

"That bastard," he snarled. "That vile, conniving bastard. I'll-"

" _Kunsel_ ," I interjected warningly. "Kunsel, I didn't come here to stir up another fight."

"I wasn't…" I just stared at him until he shrugged. "Okay, point taken. But knowing that he took it that far and you'd been scared…"

"Yes, Genesis scared me. But that's all. I didn't let him see it- or let it get to me for very long. I held myself together and got away before any real harm was done."

A sharp smile turned up the corners of his mouth.

"Almost none. The waitress said you hit him."

Kunsel sounded entirely too pleased about that, and I sighed, "Yes, Kunsel. I slapped him. Pretty hard. And he deserved it. Still, I wish I hadn't let it get to that point."

"Doesn't sound like Genesis gave you much a choice."

"Let me rephrase what I meant," I said, trying not to sound too annoyed. "I wish the situation hadn't escalated to the point of trading any blows."

At the mention of 'trading blows', Kunsel became increasingly uncomfortable, and he mumbled reluctantly, "I guess now would be the time to talk about the fight in the Crestward."

"Yes, I think it is," I agreed. Kunsel didn't seem to know where to begin, so I did it for him. "He could have _killed_ you, Kunsel. And from what I heard, would have if he hadn't been stopped."

"I knew that."

"You fought him, anyway." When he said nothing, I added quietly, "On my account."

"Lilith…"

I heard the desperation in that tone, begging me not to go on with what I was about to say next. I said it, anyway.

"You accused me a few days ago of being oblivious. That I couldn't see what was going on right in front of me. And you were right. I didn't see it." I sighed. "Because I didn't want to."

Kunsel looked as though I'd reached in and ripped out his guts with my bare hands. His gaze dropped to the floor between us. Not that I blamed him for not wanting to meet my eyes. I knew how bad that sounded. But I wasn't finished, and hoped that what I said next would ease the heart wound I'd just given him.

"Because if I didn't, I could pretend that everything might stay the same. With change comes risks, and I wanted to play it safe by avoiding them. A selfish decision on my part- and one that hurt someone I care about."

Words I'd never said to anyone. Living on the streets, you couldn't let yourself care about anyone or anything. The ones who didn't betray you ended up dead, which I supposed was its own sort of betrayal. By the time I'd come here to work for Shinra, I was so used to the protection indifference afforded me that I was reluctant to give it up.

Not even after I'd made friends with the guys. I never allowed myself to admit that I harbored any serious feelings for them. That way when _they_ left me- as I always expected they would- I wouldn't care. But the truth was, I _did_ care. About all of them. Even Luxiere with his tendency to stick his foot in his mouth every other minute. So this confession was long overdue.

 _Now to find out what Kunsel thinks of it._

And think he most certainly did. I could see his brow furrow as he replayed those words in his mind. Turned them over and considered what to do about them. I could only wait- nervously, I had to admit- until Kunsel was ready to tell me what that was. At last, he raised his eyes to mine. A maelstrom of feeling surged in their azure depths.

 _Well, at least if I'm nervous, I'm not alone._

"I care about you, too, Lilith." He let out a shaky breath. "As more than a friend."

"Kunsel…I-"

"No, Lilith," he interrupted me firmly. "You can say whatever you want when I'm finished."

"Okay."

"I don't know how long I've felt this way. Mostly because I tried to ignore it." Kunsel smiled wanly. "Not because I thought saying something was a risk. I was far less optimistic than that, even. I knew I had no chance, and if I said anything, I was likely to succeed only in making you uncomfortable and ruin our friendship.

"But then Junon happened and it…complicated things. The nightclub and Genesis. Lilith, after what that bastard tried to do, I couldn't ignore those feelings anymore. Even if I _had_ , I doubt it wouldn't have done me much good. Genesis figured it out somehow."

Given the snide comment that jerk had made to me only a few days ago, I could only imagine the things he'd been saying to Kunsel over the past few weeks. And by shutting everyone out, I'd made it so he couldn't tell me. Not about his feelings. Not about Genesis. Out of the desire to protect myself, I'd left him to face all of that alone. No wonder he'd snapped.

"The Crestward was the last straw. He came in saying-" Kunsel hesitated. "Well, you don't want to know what he said."

"Actually, I do."

"No, you don't."

"Kunsel- what did Genesis say?"

He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. But I continued to stare at him expectantly, so he knew he had little choice but to tell me. "Okay, but you won't like it."

"Oh I already know that. I still want to hear it."

Quiet muttering. I merely waited.

"He said he didn't force you to do anything you didn't want to do, and said that you were a poor sport."

I was sure Kunsel had made an effort to leave out the worst, and whatever he might have left out was likely what prompted the fight. He needn't have bothered, since Genesis had said as bad or worse to my face in the nightclub. I didn't press the matter, though.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised, except perhaps in how long he waited before saying that to you."

"Whatever the reason, he said it and I lost my temper. So I punched him."

For a moment, I allowed myself the luxury of picturing it. And the shock on Genesis' face to have a 2nd Class land a hit. A smile hovered on my lips, though I did my best to conceal it. Not good enough; Kunsel noticed.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were glad."

Caught. I rolled my eyes skyward and tried not to sound embarrassed. After all, hadn't I been quick to take him to task when he'd reacted the same way about the slap I'd given Genesis?

"Okay, so I know I shouldn't _approve_ of anything to do with that fight…"

"But?"

"But part of me is perversely amused that Genesis got what was coming to him."

Kunsel nodded, but his expression was grim as he replied, "Still think he deserved more than that."

Of course he did, so I couldn't argue. Didn't even try. Which left me just one option. Discussing the fight had gotten us somewhat side-tracked from our original conversation. One I felt we needed to finish.

"And what about the rest," I asked when I felt brave enough to do it. "You said yourself that you can't pretend anymore. And I'm not turning a blind eye anymore. So where does that leave us?"

My question was blunt; Kunsel's was no less so.

"Do you have any feelings for me- beyond friendship?"

I wanted to say that I did. Kunsel was a good man, and he deserved to be with someone who made him happy. I wanted to be that someone. But I wasn't. Couldn't be. I certainly _cared_ for him, and could almost entertain the idea of exploring a physical relationship with him. But I couldn't give up my dreams of becoming a 1st Class for him.

Give them up- yes, I would have to, even if he claimed otherwise. No matter how discreet we were about seeing one another, someone would find out. Especially since Genesis already knew how Kunsel felt. Once everyone knew, the damage would be done. Everyone would see any mission or promotion as favoritism- preferential treatment because I was sleeping with another SOLDIER instead of given to me based on my own merits.

 _If only it were different, Kunsel,_ I lamented regretfully. _Or maybe if I do make it to 1_ _st_ _Class…no one can say anything then._ That wistful thought probably had something to do with my answer.

"I…" the words stuck in my throat; I forced them out. "I want to- and might- but I don't know if I'm able to own to them." After that, everything came out in a rush as my eyelashes swept down to avoid the disappointment I'd see in his eyes. "It's not fair to do that to you. I know it's not. That's not the answer you deserve and I understand if-"

Kunsel got up from his chair, crossed the few steps it took to reach mine and knelt so that I had to look at him. His expression was both resigned and accepting. I bit my lip, wishing again that I could give him what he wanted. He stretched out a hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear and shook his head.

"I only wanted an honest answer, Lilith. Don't blame yourself if that's the one you have to give," I knew his next words must have been a knife in his heart, but Kunsel didn't flinch as he suggested, "So why don't we just keep things as they've always been, and just be friends."

I tried to smile. If I did, it must have been the saddest one I'd ever given.

"Yes, Kunsel, I think we could do that."

1 I do intend for Lilith and Danita to meet one another. It won't be in the next few chapters, though, since I'm sending the 2nd Classes back to Junon. But when they get back, Lilith is going to come face to face with Danita. And it will not be pleasant. For either of them. I think she'll be the one to become suspicious about the woman's intentions regarding Genesis before anyone else. And despite the fact that she doesn't especially _like_ Genesis after the Junon thing, she might be one of the few willing to help him out of his mess with Danita once he realizes he has a problem.


	16. Chapter 16: Fractures and Fault Lines

Despite the late hours he'd put in last night, Sephiroth had arrived early this morning. He wanted to be sure he was here before Genesis. Knowing his friend, after the last few days of no demands, an early morning was the least of his priorities. So it didn't come as a surprise when half the morning passed without any sign of the man. Just the unending parade of Shinra's underlings.

The later the hour became, the more annoyed Sephiroth grew. He had better things to do than stand around. And definitely not in the crowded Shinra lobby. Finding a discreet corner concealed him from the majority of the visitors, but he still garnered far more unwanted attention than he liked. Thankfully, a few withering scowls turned away anyone who might have thought to approach him.

The clock over the reception desk read quarter to eleven. By the time Genesis arrived, everyone would be leaving for lunch. That would not do; he and Angeal had planned to speak with Fair early enough that the team could still make the trip to Junon. He almost considered abandoning this seemingly pointless vigil in favor of accomplishing something more meaningful. But just as he'd made his decision to leave, Sephiroth spied the familiar stride and chestnut hair belonging to Genesis through the building's glass exterior.

 _Finally._

So focused on his friend, he nearly missed that Genesis hadn't arrived alone. Sephiroth stayed where he was a minute longer to get a better look at the lady standing next to him. Judging by her clothes and demeanor, obviously a fangirl. Odd that his friend would have brought one to Headquarters. Extremely odd. Then Genesis shifted just enough for him to catch a glimpse of her face. A familiar one.

 _Danita._

In most cases, he wouldn't have even remembered her name. This one stuck in his memory only on account of how disturbing he'd found Danita's performance in Junon. And now she was here. In Midgar. Regardless of his conclusions about the woman, Sephiroth hadn't expected to see her after that morning. An assumption he'd erred in making, apparently. That miscalculation alone was enough to annoy him; having discovered that Genesis had taken up with her again bordered on infuriating.

 _Angeal said he hadn't seen our friend on town- I wonder if the reason why is currently plastered to Genesis' side_.

That thought didn't sit easy. Angeal had warned Genesis in Junon that his game-playing could lead to trouble. And while Sephiroth hadn't voiced his thoughts at the time, he'd made a point of telling his friend later that he shared that opinion. They'd been right, too. Genesis had dangled a lure with all his pretty speeches, and the woman took him seriously enough to think he'd invited her here. A situation made worse, since his friend hadn't had the good sense to turn her away.

 _So just how long ago did she arrive, I wonder._ The disagreement over the nightclub had kept them from spending much time together in their off-hours. _It's possible she's been here almost since we returned from Junon._

A concern to bring up later; the couple appeared to have finished their goodbyes, and Genesis had just entered the building. Danita must have called after him, because he turned around as the door was about to close. She blew him an exaggerated kiss and waggled her fingers with a giggle. Sephiroth considered himself- and the lady- fortunate that he couldn't hear it at this distance. As for Genesis, he seemed not to find it at all irritating, a smile hovering on his lips when he turned away from her. If Sephiroth planned to catch him, now was his best chance. He pushed away from the wall he'd been leaning against and strolled across the lobby floor on a path to intercept his friend. They met just before reaching the elevator bank.

"Genesis," he greeted him neutrally.

"Sephiroth."

"I trust you made the best of the past two days."

His friend offered a sharp smile, stepping inside the waiting elevator as he replied, "Well, if Angeal was going to insist that I absent myself from Shinra Headquarters, the very least I can do is enjoy the vacation."

"As I recall, it wasn't meant to be a vacation." The doors closed, and as no one else had joined them, Sephiroth continued, "Lest you forget what precipitated that order."

"Still harping on that, are you?"

"It's serious business, Genesis. Perhaps more serious than you realize."

"So the puppy and I got into one little fight. Maybe I took it a bit too far- even if he was asking for it. Still, he lived to see another day, and learned a valuable lesson if he's smart. No big deal."

 _Two days was not a long enough break from this,_ Sephiroth groused inwardly. _I just do not have the patience for this nonsense._

Still, he held onto his temper. Because he'd promised Angeal he'd help. And because he couldn't afford to have Genesis jeopardize the strategy he'd been planning for the past month. With that thought in mind, he tried again to make the man understand the gravity of their situation.

"You need to look at the bigger picture. A fight like that- which _you_ started- looks an awful lot like a premeditated attack from the point of view of the junior ranks. They don't care that the two of you have personal issues with one another."

"Since when do you care what any of them think?"

The elevator stopped to admit several Turks. Not wanting to discuss his reasons in front of Shinra's trained dogs, Sephiroth merely crossed his arms in silence at his friend. A few floors later, the Turks got off. Alone once more, he resumed their conversation.

"Since the Junon mission."

"Yeah," Genesis muttered sarcastically. "Seems you changed your mind about a _lot_ of things since Junon."

Sephiroth pretended he hadn't heard that comment, not interested in revisiting that argument. Or the distraction it would provide from the subject at hand.

"We need the 2nd and 3rd Classes to handle the back and forth. All of those mundane tasks that need to get done. The junior ranks perform those tasks." He let a few seconds pass by before adding, "Unless _you_ want to do them instead."

Judging by Genesis' expression, he wasn't thrilled by that prospect.

"No? I didn't think so."

Sephiroth hadn't expected him to be. As Shinra's elite, the three of them hadn't performed menial assignments- that had always been the concern of someone else. Someone less important. That train of thought brought Sephiroth to his next point.

"Even if you _did,_ we can't afford the risk of sending you. Lazard won't question rotating 2nd and 3rd Classes between Midgar and other cities, or correspondence sent between them. It's done all the time. But I guarantee he'll take notice if _you_ were to leave Headquarters."

The man rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh, thoroughly unconcerned.

"What's your point, Sephiroth?"

"My point, Genesis, is that I can't work through the junior ranks if you keep stirring up their resentment against the 1st Classes. So if you want to help like you said you did all those weeks ago- _act_ like it and leave Fair and this friends alone."

The doors opened to the 49th floor before his friend could reply, and so he was left to trail sullenly behind Sephiroth for a stride or two. Even after Genesis had pulled even to match his pace, he remained stubbornly silent. They passed through the corridors without speaking to one another. Thankfully, no sight of the 2nd Classes on the way to Angeal's office. They were around somewhere, though. Sephiroth had seen them arrive when he'd been in the lobby.

Genesis couldn't seem to contain his curiosity on that score, and mused, "So, I see I'm here as ordered, but no sign of that so-called 2nd Class."

"He is here," Sephiroth answered coolly. "Arrived like everyone else- at the _beginning_ of the work day instead of wasting half the morning."

"The prerogative of a 1st Class to set his own hours."

"Take care with that attitude. 1st Class or not, Lazard expects us to be available should our skills be required."

They arrived just outside Angeal's door. Around them, junior ranking SOLDIERs navigated the congested hall as they went about the business of their daily routines. Several cast glances in Genesis' direction; most of them unfriendly, and a few outright hostile. His friend didn't appear to notice. Instead, he sided up close enough that only Sephiroth could hear his low retort.

"Lazard also expected you to drop the Leviathan matter. I don't see you obeying _that_ order."

Their gazes locked as that challenge hung between them. A challenge he had no intention of letting Genesis win. In a voice every bit as deep and ominous as he could make it, Sephiroth replied.

"Need I remind _you_ what you stand to lose if whomever is behind these attacks is allowed to continue unchecked?"

The arrogance in the man's expression remained, but a flicker of doubt crept in at the veiled reference to Banora. Sephiroth wondered how many more times he'd have to be reminded of the very real dangers aimed at his childhood home before it truly sunk in. At least this once more, it would seem. And with that said, he opened the door to usher them both inside.

* * *

The upset and tensions over the past few days notwithstanding, Zack was determined to hold onto a hopeful attitude. He sat in the lounge with Luxiere and Kunsel, their group was once again reunited. The three of them, anyway; he hadn't seen Lilith yet this morning. But she was bound to turn up soon enough, given it was nearly eleven. The lounge was filling up with SOLDIERs finished with their morning duties. Not much for them to do until afternoon. Maybe the four of them could take lunch out in the city. They hadn't done that in over a month.

 _After the things she said when we were talking yesterday, maybe Lilith would_ actually _agree to go._

And speaking of things Lilith said…his gaze darted over to Kunsel. His friend hadn't mentioned whether she'd gone to see him last night, but his somber mood wasn't all that encouraging. Then again, Kunsel wasn't known for being the cheerful type. So it was anybody's guess what happened after Zack and Lilith parted ways at the elevator yesterday. Anybody willing to risk the fifty-fifty odds of receiving a bad-tempered shove instead of an answer, anyway.

From his point of view, no amount of curiosity was worth inviting that sort of trouble; he trusted that Luxiere would be wise enough to reach the same conclusion. But no sooner had he expressed that silent wish, the young SOLDIER bought up the very thing Zack had been hoping to avoid.

"So I was just wondering-"

"Busy in here this morning," he cut in before Luxiere could finish.

Little good that did him. His friend was not taking the hint, and tried to press on with his question.

"Yeah, I guess it is. But what I _really_ wanted-"

"A good thing we finished early or we'd never have gotten a table."

The second interruption did not go unnoticed, and both of his friends glanced sharply in Zack's direction. Luxiere leaned forward in his chair, hands braced on the table. But as indignant as he was, Kunsel commented first.

"Is there a problem, Zack?"

"No, no problem," he replied as casually as he could. Didn't even come close to convincing either of them, so he might as well just say what was on his mind. "All right, fine. But it's not really _my_ problem. I just didn't think you'd want either of us asking about…"

"About what?"

"I spoke with Lilith yesterday afternoon- before she left for the day- and the subject of your argument with her earlier this week _may_ have come up. And I _may_ have suggested that she take a direct approach in resolving it."

Kunsel remained silent, hardly a twitch or blink to reveal his thoughts. Zack wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but he'd at least expected _some_ reaction. A wry smile; a scowl and some complaint about minding his own business; a punch to the face. _Something_. But his friend did none of those things. Just sat there with an eerily expressionless mask that left Zack more than a little uncomfortable. Luxiere, too, by the look of it.

 _Bet you wish you'd taken my first hint and dropped all this when you could,_ he thought. _That makes two of us._ Nothing he could do now but apologize for butting in where he didn't belong.

"I know. You told me to stay out of it. And I really meant to- really did. But Lilith sought me out and wanted to talk. I suppose I could have said no…"

A crack in the façade. Kunsel quirked and eyebrow, shaking his head as he completed Zack's sentence, "Which would have been a waste of your breath and we both know it. No doubt she steamrolled right over you."

"She did, actually," he admitted sheepishly. "Told me to shut up and let her talk."

"Sounds like Lilith all right," Luxiere agreed. Zack honestly thought the whole subject might end there, but then his friend continued, "Soooo…you never said. Did she stop by your place or not?"

"Lux."

"What? I'm just asking."

"Yeah, well, maybe you shouldn't."

"It's just a question."

Zack turned to their colleague to deliver a very pointed retort that would settle the dispute. The sooner the better. A crowded lounge was not the ideal place- for any of this. Luxiere had been in SOLDIER long enough to know that. But this was one of those times when his mouth overwhelmed his good sense. Before he uttered even the first word of his reply, though, he noticed that Kunsel's attention was drawn away. Towards the door.

 _I just know I don't want to turn around._

Could be any number of reasons Kunsel was looking over there. Most of them innocuous. Zack's mind could only conjure the two worst case scenarios, however. If they were lucky, it was just Lilith. Far worse, though, if Genesis was standing there instead. The whole morning they'd managed to avoid running into him, and it encouraged the idea that maybe the 1st Class wasn't even in the building yet.

 _Or the reason we've not seen him is because he's plaguing Lilith instead._

He hadn't forgotten Genesis' promise to Danita from last night. If he'd crossed paths with Lilith already, the 1st Class could easily have spent the past few hours dogging her heels. A worry he'd not voiced to either of his friends- Kunsel in particular. Hadn't mentioned anything about the encounter in the night club last night, point of fact. Never seemed to be the right moment. But if either Genesis or Lilith _had_ just walked into the lounge, he might have no choice.

Abandoning the discussion with Luxiere for the moment, Zack followed Kunsel's gaze to the door behind him. Wasn't sure whether he was relieved or not that he saw neither Lilith nor Genesis. Just a 2nd Class who appeared to be scanning the room for someone. Zack was about to turn back to his friends when the 2nd Class spotted him and froze. A second later, he was threading through the tables.

 _Whatever he's here for, I bet it isn't good._ No sense trying to avoid it, though, so he eased back into his seat and sighed. Curiosity piqued at his reaction, Luxiere peered over Zack's shoulder. Must have noticed the 2nd Class, too.

"What do you suppose Alec wants?"

"I don't know, but I imagine he'll tell us, Lux."

Less than a minute later, the man in question approached their table, eyes fixed on Zack. He retrieved two folded pieces of paper from his pocket, selected one and handed it to him.

"Was asked to deliver this to you, Fair."

"By who?" he asked, taking the slip but not reading it.

"Hewley. Said to find you straight away."

Zack tried not to show his unease, offering the 2nd Class a tight smile and a nod. "Thanks."

"No sweat," Alec replied and immediately turned on his heel.

He was gone even before Zack could unfold the message, leaving the three of them to speculate on the oddness of the interaction. Kunsel was the first to voice his opinion aloud.

"Wonder where he's off to in such a hurry."

"If I had to guess, I'd say this wasn't the only message he was tasked with delivering," Zack mused thoughtfully, eyes still trained on the path Alec had cut through the lounge.

"Thoughts on who it might be for?"

Yeah, a few- but none he really wanted to say aloud.

Luxiere nodded towards the note in Zack's hand and suggested, "Maybe that might answer the question. So- what's it say?"

Zack unfolded the paper and read the neat, handwritten sentences on the inside. Typical Angeal. Very brief and to the point, but didn't tell him much. Just enough to confirm that sinking feeling that had come over him. That good mood he'd been striving for when he arrived this morning was fast becoming a memory. He raised his eyes from the page to see expectant looks from both of his friends. Wasn't much he could say, so Zack refolded the message and shrugged.

"Seems I have an appointment."

"Didn't you just meet with Angeal yesterday?"

"Yes, Lux, I did." He rose, stuffing the paper in a pocket as he grabbed his gear from the back of his chair. "But he wants to see me now."

"But that's-"

His friend might have pressed further, but Kunsel interrupted him quietly, "We'll see you after. Will be here for the next hour, then look for us in one of the training rooms."

"I'll do that." He hesitated. "If either of you see Lilith before then…"

"We'll tell her."

"Thanks. Hopefully I won't be long."

With that, Zack headed for the exit.

* * *

Angeal stood in front of his desk, waiting. Clearly not happy that this meeting had been delayed so long.

"It's almost eleven," their stoic friend intoned with quiet disapproval. "Where have you been, Genesis?"

The rebuke fell on deaf ears, as Genesis let it roll right off him without so much as a shrug. He crossed the room and gazed out of the window to the city. Was he looking for Danita in the throng of pedestrians below; the subtle smile on the man's lips suggested he might be. Eventually, he turned from the window to face them, and offered some kind of answer.

"Well, Angeal, given the way things have been of late, I hardly expected you to care whether I showed up at all."

A casual observer might assume he was merely being obstinate. Equal doses of sarcasm and boredom in those words certainly bolstered that impression. But Sephiroth was far from a casual observer. He watched Genesis closely, and arrived at an altogether different conclusion. Beneath the barbed retort, a myriad of minute tells betrayed the uncertainty their friend was trying to hide. And that Genesis was genuinely wounded Sephiroth and Angeal were excluding him regarding the Leviathan matter.

 _Interesting_.

Sephiroth chose not to let on that he'd noticed, waiting to see what would come of it. For Angeal's part, all his attention focused on the words, leaving him blind to the things Sephiroth had seen. He frowned deeply.

"This is hardly the time to sulk like a child. We've work to do and I sincerely hope you've returned with a mind to focus on that instead of schoolyard rivalries."

"I might point out that so far this morning, _I'm_ not the one who's brought up the subject. _You're_ the ones who seem adamant to discuss it, rather than this important work you're referring to. So why don't we just talk about _that_ and leave the rest be?"

Neither of them could refute that accusation, but didn't quite acknowledge it, either. Not even Angeal, who preferred to address the easier question.

"We will," he assured Genesis quickly. "Later this evening."

"Let me see if I have this straight. You complain that I got here so late, but now that I _am_ here, you want to push off discussing important business until evening?"

"We have to be careful, Genesis. During the day is too risky. After hours, it's quieter."

"I see."

"For now, get in some practice in one of the simulation rooms," Sephiroth advised. "Lazard's been checking the logs these past few days. It'd be for the best if he saw your name on the rosters. For appearances' sake."

Now Genesis regarded them both with no small amount of suspicion before asking, "And while I'm 'practicing', what are _you_ going to be doing?"

Sephiroth would have dodged that particular inquiry, had it been left up to him. Telling Genesis their plans would do little to dispel that wariness, and would most likely end with another argument. But Angeal spoke first, and being…well, _Angeal_ , delivered the honest answer.

"If you must know, we're meeting with Fair about a short term assignment in Junon."

"Surprised to hear that you're willing to part with your protégé. I'm sure his friends will be beside themselves with him gone." In the long pause that followed, Genesis grew increasingly agitated. He could hardly contain the incredulity in his voice as he demanded, "You're sending all of them- _all four_ \- to Junon?"

Angeal did not deny it.

"Given the tensions at Headquarters lately, it seemed the wisest course of action."

"And just what are they supposed to be doing there?"

Where Angeal might have told him the true scope of the mission, Sephiroth interjected to say, "Whatever we need them to do."

A response designed to curtail additional questions on the subject. Or to give any meaningful details. Genesis' eyes narrowed, not missing the deliberate slight- and not liking it. But rather than voice his displeasure, he simply turned away. An action at odds with the man Sephiroth had always known him to be. His friend would _never_ have accepted being shut out when it came to the job.

 _Angeal's right; something changed him in Junon. He's not himself at all._

This wasn't just some stubborn disagreement over a woman. Much to his chagrin, Sephiroth had been content to portray it that way in his mind. But even as early as that morning, he'd known better. Known better and yet convinced himself that he was overthinking the issue. And when weeks went by with no progress on that front, he'd decided that Genesis was just being unreasonable and washed his hands of him. That his friend would fall in line with them whenever he chose to get over his bruised ego.

A miscalculation. Since leaving for Junon, he'd made several of those. A disturbing trend that Sephiroth was determined not to let continue. Especially since this particular miscalculation had given rise to a very serious problem. One he and Angeal needed to solve if they wanted to combat whoever was behind the Leviathan attacks. But not one they would be addressing right now. Genesis stalked over to the door and yanked it open, throwing them one last scathing glare.

"Well, in that case, I guess I ought to do whatever you need _me_ to do. Even if it amounts to useless play-acting in the training rooms. Do let me know when you think of a task that truly merits the skills of a 1st Class. Or don't, for all I care. You've got this whole Leviathan matter handled between you. You don't need me."

Neither he nor Angeal said a word to the taunt, and so Genesis left. Hopefully to do exactly what he said. The idea of sending Fair and the others to Junon would be for nothing if their friend decided to pick another fight. Meaning the sooner they spoke to Fair to get them on their way, the better.

 _Just one thing to mention to Angeal first…_

"Angeal, there's something I think you ought to know."

Alerted by the seriousness of his tone, his friend glanced at him.

"What?"

"That woman Genesis brought back to the hotel in Junon." Angeal nodded and his skin paled considerably. Sephiroth continued, anyway, and delivered the news simply. "She's here in Midgar."

A beat of silence, and then he queried grimly, "You've seen her, I take it?"

"This morning. With Genesis."

The dark-haired man digested that news, definitely not pleased by it at all. No doubt he recognized the potential for trouble that Sephiroth did. After some time, Angeal sighed.

"Yet another complication we can ill-afford right now."

"I couldn't agree more, my friend. But she _is_ here, whether we like it or not. So what do we intend to do about her?"

To that neither of them had any reply.

* * *

Zack passed through the corridors with single-minded purpose. Hardly registered the faces of SOLDIERs along the way. Just kept walking until he reached Angeal's office. He let out a breath and knocked on the door.

"Enter," called the 1st Class' voice from within, so he turned the handle and let himself inside.

Was _not_ expecting to see Sephiroth, and checked his stride in mild surprise. Zack cast a quick look to Angeal, who sat behind his desk as usual. As for the silver-haired commander, he leaned indolently against one of the tall filing cabinets near the window. None of them spoke a word for several minutes. The silence make him acutely uncomfortable.

"You asked to see me, sir," he managed to say at last.

"Yes- a bit short notice, but the situation warranted it."

 _Situation. Don't like the sound of that._

"Situation, sir?"

Angeal exchanged a glance with Sephiroth, and the latter took it upon himself to answer the question.

"We're waiting on one more for this meeting, Fair. Once everyone is here, we'll discuss the reason why we sent for you."

 _I_ really _hope that the last person isn't Genesis,_ he thought. But who else could it be? Given the things he'd said to Angeal the previous afternoon, Zack could only conclude this meeting had something to do with it. Especially with Sephiroth here. _Knew I was inviting trouble._

Knuckles rapped lightly on the other side of the door, interrupting those pessimistic thoughts. Odd. Genesis wasn't exactly the knocking type. So maybe he'd assumed wrong, and whatever this meeting was about had nothing to do with yesterday. Which only made the whole thing that much odder. Zack tried not to look as curious as he felt as Angeal bade the latest arrival to enter. The door swung inward.

If Zack had been surprised to see Sephiroth, he was shocked beyond words to see Lilith. She, meanwhile, ignored him entirely while staring intently at the two 1st Classes. Assessing what kind of situation she was walking into, most likely. Zack noted that she didn't cross the thresh hold straight away, taking an altogether different approach. A futile one, but he couldn't blame her for wanting to get out of this meeting.

"If your previous appointment hasn't yet concluded, sir, I'll wait outside."

 _Nice try, my friend, but you're in whatever this is as much as I am._ Angeal didn't give her much of a choice in the matter, and gestured for her to come further into the room. Zack saw her suppress a reluctant grimace, but she complied nonetheless. Once inside the office, Lilith claimed a space next to Zack. One that kept him between her and Sephiroth, he noted.

"We haven't begun yet, Lilith. Fair only just arrived. You were the last we needed."

"My apologies for having kept you waiting," she murmured.

Angeal said nothing to her apology, merely forging ahead into the meeting agenda. A 1st Class's day was a busy one, and they had little time to waste. As he spoke, he laid out two folders on his desk, each with a name printed clearly on the label. His and Lilith's. If he didn't know better, he'd think they were mission dossiers.

"Right, then. I'll get to the point." He sat forward in his chair, expression serious. "Lazard is convinced it's a good idea to send a follow up team to Junon in the wake of the Leviathan affair."

A number of things implied in that statement. Namely, that he'd been right; this _was_ a briefing for a mission. Back to Junon of all places. Zack eyed the folder, but didn't reach for it without invitation. Still, he couldn't contain the foremost question on his mind.

"Another creature attacking the harbor?" _Hopefully not another Leviathan. One was more than enough._

Angeal shook his head.

"Not this time. The purpose of this expedition has more to do with Public Relations than the battles you're likely accustomed to fighting. A gesture of goodwill from the company to show the city it cares about their recovery. Lazard agreed it should spearheaded by SOLDIERs who fought in the original battle. Both of you- and the other two- have been selected."

Public Relations. Zack would prefer another battle with a Leviathan. Anything but the mind numbing business of glad-handling city officials. Things the 1st Classes did. _Just why_ aren't _they doing this, anyway?_ Apparently, he wasn't the only one to find it strange that a group of 2nd Classes were to be sent on this mission. Only he'd managed to keep those thoughts a little better hidden. Lilith, by contrast, expressed her skepticism far more openly. Enough that Angeal took note of it.

"Did you have a question," he queried.

"I was only wondering, sir, why the Director would send junior ranking SOLDIERs. It just strikes me as…unusual."

"In what sense?" When Lilith showed a reticence to respond, he arched one eyebrow and repeated the question. Except this time it wasn't a question. "I trust you have an explanation why would you find this assignment so strange."

Now she _had_ to answer.

"Public relations means spending time with the VIPs of the city. Politicians, business leaders and the like. It's a high visibility mission. Any mistake- even a small one- will look that much worse for Shinra. I would think that the Director would prefer it be handled by those with more experience, that's all."

In the pause that followed, Zack realized he was holding his breath against the worry that Lilith would antagonize them. Thankfully, she hadn't said anything _too_ inflammatory- and it was a valid point. But then his heart sank right into his stomach when she added almost as an afterthought, "Unless this is merely a token appearance and we're not meant to do much of anything."

 _Is_ this _what you meant yesterday about not making things easy? I'd appreciate it if the next time you decide to insult the 1_ _st_ _Classes, you don't drag me along for the ride._

Angeal was somewhat taken aback by Lilith's bluntness. Even Sephiroth couldn't quite cover his surprise that she'd actually said those words aloud. Zack knew that the shock wouldn't last long, and that she'd be taken to task for suggesting that Lazard would be behind such a ploy. Or so that's what he thought. As it turned out, his mentor did the furthest thing from what he'd expected him to do. He agreed with her.

"As much as I wish I could say otherwise, your guess is not inaccurate. The PR campaign _is_ largely for show. And since most of Junon hardly knows the difference when it comes to ranks in SOLDIER, it is just as well not to waste resources."

Her jaw tightened at the implication that she could be 'wasted'. Zack couldn't say he was any happier about it, but chose not to make a deal of it. Lilith, on the other hand…

"If that's the case, sir, it's a wonder the Director is sending the four of us. If the people can't distinguish ranks, one could hardly expect them to know the difference between four and two. Or even just one."

He tried not to cringe at the sarcasm in her tone. Oh but he wanted to…as he quietly imagined of all the places he'd rather be right now. Dozens came to mind. Zack would stand duty in the city slum all afternoon to get out of this. Even trudging waist deep in snow up in the mountains above Modeoheim sounded better. Or swatting mosquitos in the jungles around Mideel. _Anywhere_ but in this room while his friend deliberately incited the fury of two of the best SOLDIERs to ever live.

For some unknown reason, though, neither showed more than a fleeting glimpse of frustration at Lilith's outburst. Angeal remained silent- just like he'd done earlier this week when Kunsel had challenged him about Genesis. Zack couldn't help wondering what held the man back when he would normally be lecturing her about strict military etiquette and honoring her oaths as a SOLDIER. Had to be something important to set all that aside. Very important, indeed. And not a comforting thought.

While he'd been mulling those thoughts over, Sephiroth crossed the room. He picked up the folder with Zack's name on it and held it out to him; Lilith's he left lying on the desk. _Perhaps you might just get your wish, Lilith, and be left out of this mission. I hope you're happy._ The silver-haired commander's gaze passed over Zack before focusing exclusively on Lilith.

"The mission requires four 2nd Classes. You will complete it or answer to the Director why you refused."

Lilith glared at him, violet eyes ablaze. For a minute, Zack wondered if she might just do it.

"I have never refused a mission," she replied tersely. "I won't start now."

"Excellent decision." Sephiroth replied in an arch tone before he turned to Angeal and asked, "Did you have anything more for Fair?"

"No, nothing else."

"In that case, I believe we have no need to detain him any longer."

An obvious dismissal, meant exclusively for him; Zack shared a brief, uneasy look with Lilith, not liking the idea of leaving her alone in this office with those two. But he had little choice, and crossed the room with heavy steps. The last thing he saw before the door closed was Sephiroth standing very close to Lilith.


	17. Chapter 17: Unusual Requests

_Oh well hell,_ I cursed to myself. _Not even noon and look at the trouble you're in._

It didn't help that I'd gotten almost no sleep last night. And what little sleep I _had_ gotten was riddled with guilt-laden dreams about Kunsel. So it wasn't any wonder that my mood today was far from cheerful. Throw in this unexpected meeting from hell and what happens? Okay, so maybe I had some concerns about the mission. But did I find a _tactful_ way of raising them? No. I jumped right in there with the most abrasive means of expressing them.

Which was how I ended up standing here- alone, before the 1st Classes. Likely about to lose my spot on the mission. _Even if I_ was _right._ Somehow, I doubted an apology was going to do me any good.

The door closed behind Zack, and I resisted the need to side-step away as Sephiroth circled to stand far too close for my liking. Instead, I kept my gaze squarely on Angeal, hoping that he'd get on with whatever lecture I'd have to endure for my remarks so I could leave. Only he seemed disinclined to do so. Finally, I decided I'd had enough.

"Sir, is there some reason to keep me here after dismissing Fair?"

No answer from Angeal. Only a questioning look to his friend, who retrieved the other folder from the desk. The one with my name on it. Either he ignored Angeal's look, or didn't see it. Either way, Sephiroth said nothing. Even his friend grew impatient.

"Sephiroth," he prompted. "Are we moving forward with this or not?"

"I'd say that depends on the lady." He raised his gaze from the file, leveling a crystalline stare at me. The intensity of that scrutiny was unnerving. I almost didn't hear his next words. "You said you've never turned down a mission, Lilith. What if it means disobeying Shinra- would you still take it?"

Disobey Shinra? From what Angeal had said a moment ago, Lazard had sanctioned this mission to Junon. _Or did he?_ I considered the phrasing carefully. Lazard _agreed_ with the idea of the mission. _Agreed_ sending the four of us was a good idea. So who came up with the mission in the first place? And if it _wasn't_ Lazard, perhaps there might be pieces of it he didn't know about. Wouldn't approve of.

 _Then why send Zack away before divulging this part?_ I asked myself. _Why wait until it's only me?_

"You didn't ask that of Zack," I pointed out, my tone expecting an answer.

"Fair and your two other friends have their mission. It did not require such a question."

Meaning mine was not the same mission. I had to admit, I was nonplussed. And more than a little curious. So I took a gamble.

"What's my mission, then?"

Sephiroth studied me carefully for a minute, and then handed over the folder. I took it and flipped open the cover. Inside? I skimmed briefly over the pages outlining what I was expected to do. My eyebrows rose, but I kept reading. When I felt I'd absorbed what I needed to know, I closed the file.

"I take it I'm not to tell the others anything about this."

"They must continue to think this is merely a publicity stunt. The same goes for the Mayor and any of his staff."

I dropped my gaze to the folder in my hands and frowned slightly. Highly unusual- the whole situation. Zack would have told me to leave it go; I couldn't.

"Why me? I raised my eyes again. "Why not Zack? He's the best 2nd Class we have."

Sephiroth took the folder from me and laid it on the desk. I wasn't quite sure what to make of the expression on his face. Just a hint of a secretive smile tugged at his mouth, barely more than a smirk.

"You're right. He is."

Which still didn't answer my original question, so I repeated it. "Then why choose me?"

"Because you have the necessary qualifications where Fair does not."

 _Necessary qualifications? What the hell kind of answer is_ that _?_ Not the clearest one, and I had a feeling the vagueness of Sephiroth's reply was intentional. Either he meant to see if I could work it out for myself, or- more likely- he just didn't want me to know the reason. As Zack was fond of saying- the job of the 2nd Class was to carry out the order; the why behind it was the business of the 1st Classes. Maybe that philosophy worked for him, but not for me. The why mattered. _So what asset do I possess that Zack doesn't?_

Like it or not, my first answer was the most obvious one: Gender. And since I couldn't think of any other, I considered why Sephiroth and Angeal would prefer a woman for this mission over a man. What was gained by naming me the lead SOLDIER for the mission? Essentially, I'd be the primary ambassador for the team when it came to the Mayor. Not the most thrilling prospect, in my mind.

I remembered all too well what that pompous ass thought of me. A woman in over her head in a dangerous, _male_ profession. Probably would spend the whole mission lecturing me about proper occupations for a lady. _Meaning he wouldn't suspect me of anything,_ whispered a voice in the back of my mind _._ _And if I had to guess, I'd say that's exactly what Sephiroth is counting on._ Even if I _did_ start asking about the Leviathan or the Oceanus, the Mayor wouldn't see it as a threat. Phrased the right way, I could likely get men like him to tell me a trove of information that they'd never tell Zack.

"All right, then," I agreed with more confidence than was probably wise. "I'll get the reports you want."

Wasn't sure what about that reply Sephiroth found amusing, but that smile was back. As for Angeal, he looked more than a little uncomfortable with the whole business. Secret keeping and deception- not to mention circumventing orders from Shinra- weren't his strong suits. Quite frankly, I was surprised he was advocating this mission at all. Probably why Sephiroth had done most of the talking. But he broke with that silence now, directing a cutting glance to his friend.

"Satisfied?"

"I see no reason not to proceed."

"Then I think we've spoken on the matter long enough." Now Angeal turned his attention back to me, imparting one final order, "See that you and the others comport yourselves as befits SOLDIERs, regardless of the purpose of your mission."

"Yes, sir."

"You're dismissed."

I made my exit, not wanting to linger here any longer than necessary. Having narrowly averted disaster once already, no need to risk inciting another. I'd pressed my luck quite enough today- starting with the purpose of the meeting itself. This mission wasn't at all what I expected when Alec had come to deliver the summons to Angeal's office. After what happened in Junon, I certainly hadn't expected to take part in an important mission. Or _any_ mission. This assignment gave credence to some of the things Kunsel had been telling me yesterday. Maybe I was more than a liability in their eyes.

 _Or maybe they saw no other, better option,_ I mused as I walked away. _I'm still not sure they wouldn't rather this plan didn't depend on the likes of me._

 _So sure of that, are you?_

 _Not sure of anything. But I have to wonder if this is some test. Can't help noticing that the details of my mission didn't say much about_ why _they want me to ask about the harbor. Or any of those_ other _questions. Without that, I can't know what information would be the most useful._

 _Then you'll just have to figure that out for yourself,_ the inner voice in my head asserted. _So…why would_ you _ask?_

I walked on for some time, pondering on an answer. My thoughts turned to the research I'd been doing lately on summons. On that vein, I'd looked into aquatic bestiary guides specifically for references about both the Leviathan and Oceanus. What I'd learned cast a disturbing light on the battle in Junon. Firstly, the only confirmed sightings prior to this year had been well over a century ago in the vicinity of Wutai. Almost _never_ close to land in the case of the latter. The only reason I'd recognized the Oceanus had been because I'd seen faded illustrations of them in old training books from my days as a 3rd Class.

And secondly, neither were easy to control. Most texts recommended avoiding them due to their unpredictability in battle; summoners who ignored that warning often perished at the hands of their own Leviathan. Not just summoners, either. Often, the beast would rain down terrifying devastation on the local fishermen and merchants. Which was one of the reasons why the people of Wutai both respected and feared the Leviathan. A symbol of great power, but capable of great destruction.

 _So I guess I might wonder if the people of Junon experienced any of the same misfortunes. Perhaps whoever was controlling the Leviathan wasn't always so skilled, and the community suffered what seemed like minor random disappearances before it attacked the harbor._

But Sephiroth wasn't just interested in what happened before we arrived. The mission dossier stressed that I should ask about the days since the Leviathan was defeated. Why would he want to know that? Perhaps he wanted to be sure that Shinra had eradicated the monster responsible. That's what any normal person might believe. As someone who'd seen and survived the horrors of Midgar's slums, I looked at the question from a more cynical perspective.

If someone had successfully conjured a Leviathan once, why not try again?

I'd suspected from the beginning that we'd not seen the last of whoever was behind the mayhem. Should I be surprised that the 1st Classes had come to the same conclusion? Hardly. Sephiroth in particular. Even if he _had_ been caught off-guard by the Oceanus at the time, I doubted the commander would have allowed that to happen a second time. Leaving just one question about this mission I hadn't asked myself.

 _Why doesn't Shinra want anyone investigating this?_

The question hung like an ominous cloud as I passed several locked doors along the corridor. Not because I had no answers…rather because none of the reasons I could fathom were comforting. In the slightest. The _best_ I could hope for was that Shinra simply didn't care. That they saw no benefit for the company in spending resources on researching what could turn out to be nothing. But at worst…

 _At worst, they're deliberately ignoring the situation…or are behind it._

* * *

The program ended, and the mangled, bloody corpses of his opponents faded as if they'd never existed. Which, to be honest, they hadn't. Just fancy shadows that mimicked life. Genesis never much cared for the simulation rooms. Even if a living opponent presented no more of a challenge, at least he felt the satisfaction of accomplishing something. Exercises like these just felt…pointless.

He stared mutely at the control panel and its incessant flashing prompt to begin a new program. Angeal likely expected him to keep at this for a few hours; Genesis punched the cancel button and walked out.

 _I have more important things to do, anyway._

Angeal's announcement about sending the 2nd Classes to Junon put one particular errand at the top of his list. Danita had pestered him all last night about arranging a meeting between her and Lilith. _Not to mention all morning,_ he added irritably. Between her newest obsession and their _other_ activities, most of the morning had disappeared. More than he'd intended.

Danita had been so insistent on meeting a female SOLDIER that he hadn't been able to convince her to stay in the apartment. She'd gone so far as to accompany him the whole way to Shinra Headquarters, chattering non-stop about how soon he thought she might see Lilith- and how she intended to thank him for arranging the meeting. But at least he'd dissuaded her from the idea of following him into the downstairs lobby. Genesis would placate her to a point, but he drew the line when it came to the job.

A good thing, too, given that Sephiroth had been waiting for him. And since his friend hadn't mentioned Danita, Genesis guessed that he hadn't seen her. Or he hoped as much. He didn't need Sephiroth- or worse, Angeal- lecturing him about the dangers of "exploiting" fangirls for his amusement. They'd make a big deal out of Danita's appearance in Midgar.

 _No time for any of that- focus._

Focus on finding Lilith before she and her friends headed out for Junon. Who knew how long their 'mission' might be. Genesis did _not_ want to miss the only chance he'd get in what could be days. Danita would be most unhappy. And when she was unhappy…

 _Suppose the mission lasts longer than a week._ That horrifying possibility struck him just as he'd rounded a corner. _What would you do? How will you deal with Danita then?_

Genesis didn't know. Quite frankly, he hadn't intended her to be around that long. Should have been done with her before returning to Shinra, but he just couldn't seem to summon the resolve to send the cloying woman packing. Any time he so much as _thought_ about it, Danita would find a way to distract him. All the better if he could arrange this meeting with Lilith today. Then he could cut Danita loose as early as this evening.

 _Or maybe tomorrow morning,_ he hedged as he recalled Danita's promises. _No sense letting the night go to waste…_

Before ideas of how he'd spend that night completely eclipsed any other thought, back to the task at hand. Form a plan- where would Lilith most likely be? Genesis' footsteps slowed and he cast a look around him. The hallway was mostly empty; most of the junior SOLDIERs would be in the lounge at this hour. And with Fair meeting with Angeal, quite likely the rest of their group would be waiting for him there.

Getting to the lounge would mean he'd pass by Angeal's office, though. _So let's hope he and Sephiroth are still occupied,_ Genesis thought as he rounded the corner. At the sight of Fair facing the closed door, he stopped short. Was the 2nd Class only just arriving, or was the briefing already over? Genesis hung back for a moment to find out.

"Lilith, I sure hope you know what you're doing," he heard the man murmur half under his breath as his brows drew together in a frown.

And with that, the SOLDIER turned on his heel. Genesis could hear him continue to mutter while shaking his head until disappearing around the corner at the other end of the corridor. By then, Genesis' attention had moved on- eyes darting to Angeal's office. If he heard right, Lilith was in there yet.

 _Why, I wonder?_ Neither of them had any reason to speak to Lilith _personally_. Surely, Fair could fill the others in on whatever bullshit mission they'd been given in Junon. _Unless this is a real mission._ In which case, Genesis found himself that much more annoyed at having been edged out of the discussion.

 _For now._

Sephiroth thought only he could thwart the ones responsible for that Leviathan. Tenaciously defying Lazard and the Shinra execs because no one else would. And didn't he just _love_ dropping reminders about Banora? Like it was some leash Sephiroth could yank whenever he thought Genesis was out of line. But for all the silver-haired commander talked of alleviating their dire situation, very little had changed. Banora was still under siege, without any relief.

 _So why wait for_ him _?_ Genesis was sure he could convince Lazard to let him go to Banora for a 'family' visit. And he'd make an effort to do that while he was there. But who said he couldn't look into the Leviathan matter at the same time? _Won't that just burn Sephiroth if_ I _solve this mystery before him?_

The idea pleased him immensely, for surely such a discovery would prove to Lazard- not to mention the Shinra board execs- that maybe Sephiroth wasn't the best. And if that wasn't enough to brighten his mood, just at that moment, Lilith stepped into the hallway. Perfect.

She turned in the direction Fair had gone, having not noticed him. The woman gazed down the corridor for several minutes without moving. Genesis decided to wait until she'd gone a little ways; no good if Angeal or Sephiroth were to hear him talking to her. Or worse, to leave the office and see him approach. Better to be patient.

Lilith resumed her journey, presumably to the lounge. Genesis followed her leisurely, timing his pace so that he'd catch up to her after she rounded the corner. And as he saw no sign that his two friends would swoop in to interfere, he made his move.

"Imagine that- meeting with the 1st Classes," he observed casually. She whirled around, startled, giving him the opportunity to circle ahead and block her path. "It would seem in my two-day absence, you've come up in the world."

Lilith regarded him mutely, seemingly unprepared at his appearance. Whatever the reason, Genesis saw the chance to exploit it to get what he wanted. He leaned against the neutral-toned corridor wall and smiled at her.

"You seem surprised- did you forget that I'd be returning today? I'm sure your friend hasn't."

Mentioning Kunsel was a tactical mistake if he was hoping for Lilith's cooperation. Genesis recognized the error even as the words left him, but it was far too late. And as he expected, Lilith's response was decidedly hostile. Her eyes narrowed.

"No, sir, I hadn't forgotten."

Genesis tried a different tactic.

"Still with the formalities, Lilith?" No effect. Not so much as a blink by way of reaction. In frustration, he demanded, "Really, hasn't this gone on long enough?"

After a minute or two of stony silence, Lilith asked flatly, "What do you want?"

"The same thing Angeal wants- an end to this tiresome feud. It's tearing SOLDIER apart, to hear him talk. You don't want to be responsible for that, do you?"

He figured he could play on her sense of honor and devotion to SOLDIER to guilt her into a truce. If anything, Lilith's expression grew more frosty. Again, not quite what he'd hoped to accomplish. Genesis was starting to wonder if he'd squandered his best chance, and they'd only been talking for a handful of minutes. That impression did not improve when she delivered her answer.

"If you think to put all the blame on me, think again. All _I_ did was refuse an invitation I never asked you to make. _You're_ the one who fixated on it instead of moving on to any one of dozens of women who would have gladly taken you up on it."

Didn't ask…Genesis resisted the overwhelming desire to argue that point. It was like he'd told Sephiroth already- if Lilith hadn't been interested…why bother with the dress or that performance on the dancefloor? She'd wanted _something_ , he was sure of it.

 _But if she_ was _interested…why turn you down the second you asked?_ A voice in his head queried. Genesis ignored it, like he'd done every other time the question surfaced. Neither side of that argument was going to get him what he wanted, and so he dropped it in favor of taking their conversation along another path. Especially as Lilith had unwittingly given him an excuse to bring up Danita.

"Interesting that you should mention the ladies so eager for my company that evening," he began with a grin. "Because our… _misunderstanding_ , as one might call it…allowed me to spend the evening with a particularly enthusiastic beauty."

"Good for you- can I go now, sir? I have to be somewhere."

"Before I tell you the most interesting part?"

"If it's a recitation of your exploits for that evening, I think I'd rather pass," Lilith deadpanned.

Genesis couldn't tell whether or not she meant the remark to be humorous. In the half-second it took him to decide that she had, he almost laughed. Almost. Couldn't afford to. He was only supposed to _feign_ affability; actually finding the woman likeable in any way was not part of the plan. He quirked an eyebrow at her instead.

"Not what I had in mind, but since you bring it up…"

Lilith swore under her breath while muttering, "See where sarcasm gets you?" In a louder voice, she replied, "Sir, I really do have orders to be somewhere."

"Since a 2nd Class' time is _so_ valuable."

"I imagine you would consider _your_ time valuable, sir."

Was that an assertion of the truth, or a subtle means of insulting him? Her inflection imbued the words with a sense of ambiguity that Genesis found irritating. All the more so because she shouldn't be a match for the wits of a 1st Class- much less _outwit_ one. She was a _2_ _nd_ Class. If Danita wasn't so insistent to meet her, he'd have said something particularly scathing along those lines, and walked away without a backward glance. But she was. So he forced himself to ignore the potential slight and pushed the conversation forward.

"As a matter of fact, it is. Then I shall get straight to my point. The lady from Junon- she's curious about SOLDIER. In particular, female SOLDIERs. She asked if I would arrange a meeting."

Whatever Lilith had expected him to say, that wasn't it. Surprised her enough to crack her grim expression.

"With me?"

"You're a female SOLDIER, aren't you?"

"Well yeah, but…I'm not the only one. Wouldn't it have been easier to have just asked someone else?"

 _Absolutely._ Genesis had said as much to Danita last night- and again this morning. But she wouldn't be convinced to speak with anyone other than Lilith. He credited that obstinacy to some imagined connection she felt in having seen her in the nightclub. Irrational, but not worth arguing over. Genesis shrugged to convey his lack of interest, either way.

"She saw you in Junon."

"Well, perhaps if I can spare some time when I'm there…"

"Actually, she's here in Midgar."

Her eyebrows knit together in mild confusion. "But…why? Why would she come all the way-"

"Doesn't matter," Genesis interrupted her. "She wants to meet you. Wouldn't take more than an hour and I expect you could spare it."

"I…I really can't," she protested immediately. "I have orders to be in Junon this evening."

"One hour."

She shook her head. "Last airship leaves in two hours, and I have to gather my gear."

With that, Lilith sidestepped around him, already considering the discussion over. And since Genesis had no means of interfering in the mission to Junon at present, he saw no purpose in trying again. He didn't want her to realize that this was a big deal, so he injected a touch of annoyed boredom into his tone.

"Naturally the needs of Shinra come first. I'll convey that to Danita."

"If she is truly set on seeing me and can wait for my return, I'll meet with her then. Otherwise, maybe she'll be content to speak with someone else."

"Of course."

After a brief moment of silence, she asked, "Was there anything else, sir?"

"No, nothing."

Lilith made her goodbyes and was gone, leaving Genesis to ponder his next move. One question rose above all others: _What will I tell Danita when I see her this evening?_

* * *

Zack returned from his meeting with Angeal much sooner than Kunsel expected. Just one look at him said that it hadn't gone well. His friend sank into the chair he'd vacated only twenty minutes ago. In his right hand, he clutched a manila folder. Kunsel eyed it curiously.

"I take it that's the reason Angeal sent for you," he queried. Zack nodded absently, but didn't offer any further explanation. "Anything you can discuss?"

"Might as well, since it'll concern the both of you."

"Us? What's it got to do with us," Luxiere wanted to know.

"Lazard wants us to complete a mission in Junon."

"When?"

"Orders are to be on an airship leaving today."

Kunsel couldn't help thinking that the timing of this mission seemed too coincidental for his liking. The very day he and Genesis return to Headquarters, the Director finds a reason to send one of them away from Midgar. Suspicious indeed. He regarded Zack with heavy skepticism.

"And the mission? What could possibly be so important that it can't wait for tomorrow even?"

His friend sighed, and warned, "You won't like hearing it."

"Bet it isn't important at all," Luxiere complained. "Guard duty, most like. It's guard duty, isn't it, Zack?"

"Worse, Lux. A PR mission."

All three of them shared a look of mutual dread, although for different reasons. Luxiere never enjoyed missions that didn't involve a battle of some kind; whereas, Zack was thinking of the potential disaster their friend's loose tongue could cause in a room full of VIPs. As for Kunsel, he wasn't sure what he dreaded more- the mission itself, or knowing that with them gone, Lilith would be on her own in Midgar. Not that she couldn't handle herself, but even if someone had to go…why all three?

Before he started questioning Angeal's decision, he tried to look at the dilemma from the 1st Class' perspective. If the mission was an excuse to keep him separated from Genesis, of course Kunsel would have to go. And if they really were going to Junon for PR, naturally he'd want to send Zack. Who would that leave here in Midgar? Luxiere. A decent fighter and his friend…but perhaps not so useful in the conflict with Genesis.

So he understood the decision. Understood, but didn't like it. Kunsel reluctantly voiced that dislike, despite knowing that it would open discussion on the subject of Lilith.

"And with all of us out of the way, that'll leave Genesis a clear field to antagonize Lilith."

"Well…" Zack hedged uncertainly. "Perhaps not."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Lilith is supposed to go, too. Or at least that was Angeal's original plan. Now…I dunno."

Kunsel exchanged a confused glance with Luxiere, who raked a hand through his hair roughly as he tried to make sense of what Zack said. Didn't work. Something had definitely been left out of the explanation. Luxiere took it upon himself to ask.

"So, did something change his mind?"

"You could say that."

He said no more than that, leaving them with only more unanswered questions. _Like pulling teeth with him today._ Kunsel grew annoyed enough to prompt his friend.

"And that was?"

Zack took a breath as if to answer, but the Luxiere butted in with his own theory.

"Oh don't tell me it was Lilith." A sigh. "What'd she do this time?"

"So we're at the briefing- receiving instructions, no big deal. Not even ten minutes in and Lilith calls the mission a farce. Criticizing the Director- Angeal and Sephiroth, too. Right to their faces."

"Sounds like a repeat of the performance from the last mission," Luxiere replied with a snort. "What is her deal with taking orders from those two?"

Their friend was too quick to make the comparison in Kunsel's opinion. Lilith hadn't challenged the mission or any orders given. Just Genesis' attitude. Sure she'd raised questions about the battle strategy…when they were amongst themselves. Not in front of the 1st Classes. Her direct confrontation this time marked a very different situation.

 _I might have said the same thing in her place,_ he conceded. _Because this whole mission certainly_ feels _like a sham. Especially if I could have heard them admit it._ Doubtful that Sephiroth would have given an answer at all, and even Angeal likely found some way to bypass the subject.

"I told you, Lux." Zack's reply interrupted his thoughts. "She said she wasn't going to make things easy for them anymore. If this morning's meeting was any indication, she meant it."

Lilith hadn't mentioned any of that to him yesterday. But then, they had more pressing things to discuss. Kunsel quickly banished all thoughts about what the two of them _had_ discussed. He'd done enough thinking on that while lying awake last night. And likely would do the same tonight. Possibly for many nights to come. Wondering if he'd made the right choice.

While he was trying to keep his focus on the conversation, Luxiere was rolling his eyes at their friend.

"So what- she's kicked off the mission now?"

"I don't know. When I left her with them, nothing was said along those lines, but who knows what they've told her in the meantime."

Kunsel's attention caught on what those words implied, and he shot Zack a sharp look as he repeated," Left her with Angeal and Sephiroth. Alone."

"Yeah."

"Why would you do that?"

Zack shrugged helplessly.

"Because they dismissed me, Kunsel. What else was I supposed to do?"

Not a damn thing. Nor would Kunsel have done any differently in his place. Nor would anyone. They all knew the boundaries the ranks lived by; an order from a 1st Class- especially one of _those_ 1st Classes- was to be obeyed no matter your personal feelings on it.

 _Could be worse- could have been Genesis with them._ Not much of a comfort, though. Despite being touted as Shinra's top SOLDIER, Sephiroth's motives were a mystery more often than not. If his agenda were at odds with the company, Kunsel wasn't sure he wouldn't forsake any oaths of loyalty to them. And maybe he _didn't_ side with Genesis on this matter- that was no guarantee _why_ he hadn't, or what he stood to gain from it.

 _Angeal is there. I'm sure it's no worse than a lecture- worst could be him pulling her from the mission._

"Nothing," he replied at last, dropping his gaze to the table with a reluctant sigh.

"What do you suppose we'll do if they do kick Lilith off the mission," Luxiere asked. "Although, I imagine we can get by fine without her."

Zack opened the folder he still held, and flipped to the second page. After a few seconds of reading, he shook his head slowly.

"That's actually a good question, Lux. If I'm reading this correctly- and I'm pretty sure that I am- she was expected to be our key liaison with the Mayor and several other VIP contacts in Junon. So if she's not going…"

"Lilith," their friend bellowed in shock. "Angeal chose her to be the mission leader over _you_? Over _all_ of us?"

Luxiere seemed more than a little outraged by the prospect of having been skipped over. As for Kunsel, he took the news from a different perspective, fitting it against his initial suspicions about the purpose for the mission. He was all the more convinced that they were being sent on an empty errand. If the mission had been in any way legitimate, Angeal would have made Zack the lead in the absence of a 1st Class. Silently, he begged forgiveness from his friend for saying so, but Kunsel couldn't deny the truth that no one in Junon would _ever_ take Lilith seriously.

 _And yet Zack seems to believe this mission is more than lip service to the upper echelons of Junon society._

Kunsel suspected he was blinded by his optimism again- seeing Shinra as an equal place of opportunity for all SOLDIERs. Either that or he grasped what it meant and deliberately chose to ignore reality. Just as he chose to ignore Luxiere's question. The younger man was practically sputtering, and crossed his arms with a low grumble about seniority. Not the best argument, really. Kunsel could have easily pointed out that Lilith was promoted to 2nd Class a whole month before him, and would have gotten the position anyway; he said nothing.

And so the three of them sat in the emptying lounge- silent. Zack closed the folder and laid it on the table. Sham or not, Kunsel was curious to know what it contained. He was about to ask to see it, but just as he began to speak, a shadow fell across the beige Formica surface.

"Well, at least you're all here," Lilith remarked with little enthusiasm. "Last airship to Junon is at 2 PM, so if we're going to be on it, best not to spend time we don't have tracking each other down."

Zack and Luxiere turned to the sound of her voice; Kunsel found he couldn't, and continued to stare at the mission file. They'd been at Headquarters all morning without crossing paths, and even now he wasn't quite up to the challenge. Just as well. His friend didn't need his help to ask her about the meeting with Angeal and Sephiroth.

"So…you're still on the mission?"

"Long story short, they can't simply replace me."

"But if they weren't kicking you off the mission, what was their reason for having you stay?"

Lilith hesitated a little too long before answering lightly, "You know Angeal. Inconvenient it might be to replace me, but he still had plenty to say about my question. Or at least the way I asked it."

 _Why do I get the feeling that she's not being wholly honest?_ The tone in her voice was…off. Not by much. Just enough that Kunsel distrusted it. Whatever openness she'd brought to their conversation yesterday, today saw a return of the secret keeping. And while he couldn't say he was surprised, he was a little disappointed.

 _So what doesn't Lilith want us to know?_

* * *

Zack and Luxiere appeared to accept that answer, but I wasn't so certain Kunsel did. He'd yet to look directly at me since I walked up to the table. I had expected today to be awkward after last night, but with this mission to Junon, awkward was a pale word to describe our next few days. But if we were going to survive it, the two of us needed to find some way to put it past us. If only temporarily.

I just hoped that maybe that discomfort would work in my favor in this instance. The last thing I needed was to have Kunsel prodding into what _really_ happened during that meeting. Not until I'd thought of a plausible story. In my walk here, I hadn't been as focused on coming up with one as I'd hoped- too distracted by the irritating conversation with Genesis.

"I'll admit that I wasn't so thrilled myself when you threw the gauntlet down at them," Zack acknowledged ruefully. "Was imagining all the worst assignments I'd ever had with a fondness I never thought possible."

"Yeah, I could tell."

"Why did you ask them such a question?"

I regarded him candidly as I retorted, "Why didn't you?" He was about to answer when I added, "I know you were thinking the same thing I was. But you weren't going to say anything."

"You're right. I was. And no, I wasn't going to ask."

"Why not?"

Zack didn't respond. I waited patiently for longer than I felt I had to. By the time my tolerance had run out, the room was empty save the four of us. And perhaps that's what he was waiting for.

"Because sometimes, I'd rather not know, Lilith. It's a simple mission. So what if it's an empty errand? I'd gladly forego the need to hear them say it."

I wanted to ask him what he might say if he knew the mission _wasn't_ as straightforward as he assumed. He wouldn't ask, and so he would blindly go on this potentially dangerous mission. Couldn't possibly be prepared for the consequences should things go wrong. All because he trusted that Angeal had given him all the information he needed.

How I wished I could pry into that slightly naïve trust and make him start asking the questions. But I couldn't. Not without divulging the true purpose for our mission to Junon. At best, I could convey my disapproval with an imposing frown.

Zack frowned right back.

"Tell me how knowing we're on a fool's mission does any of us any good," he urged me. "I can't think of a single reason."

I knew just one; it was all I needed.

"Honesty, Zack. Asking the question is the honest thing to do. I would think you- not to mention Angeal- would agree."

My answer took him by surprise. The words also twisted in my chest like a knife, knowing that by keeping my orders secret, I was not one to talk of honesty right now. But I buried those thoughts before letting them provoke me into doing something stupid…like telling them the truth. In any case, Zack was uncomfortable enough by the subject that he fidgeted in his seat. Luxiere fared no better; I didn't dare look at Kunsel to see what he might have thought. He might just see straight through to my hypocrisy.

"All right, Lilith. You win," he yielded finally. "I should have voiced my concerns to Angeal. Satisfied?"

I couldn't help hearing a touch of resentment in that concession. Not the most promising of attitudes to start out what would be several days in close quarters. And since I didn't want to be at odds with all three of them, I offered something I really didn't want to give: An apology.

"Look, I didn't come in here looking to argue. Probably shouldn't be trying to pass on my own rotten attitude, seeing as though I got waylaid by Genesis after leaving Angeal's office and he seemed especially intent on being irritating."

That got _everyone's_ attention- Kunsel included. He pinned me to the spot, the blue of his eyes gone stormy. Just the mere mention of that name sparked a response both furious and instantaneous. Lesson learned. Decision to stay friends for not, I had to tread lightly where Genesis was concerned. But as the mistake was already made _this_ time, I could only stand there as he fired his first- and hopefully _only_ \- question.

"Genesis," he hissed through clenched teeth. "What did _he_ want?"

I went with the least incriminating part of the conversation; no sense mentioning anything about how the 1st Class and I had gotten onto the subject.

"Something about meeting one of his fly-by-night lovers," I replied dismissively. "Seemed like I had to tell him fifty times that I couldn't do it today if I even wanted to."

Zack and Luxiere exchanged a glance I couldn't help noticing. I rounded on the former.

"What?"

He winced before asking, "Genesis didn't happen to mention her name, did he?"

"Yes- Danita. Why?"

"Damn," he swore without answering me.

I would have repeated my question, but Kunsel spoke up first.

"Danita's here in Midgar? Why didn't you say something?"

"We only learned of it last night."

"It's noon. You couldn't have found five minutes?" Kunsel gestured to Luxiere. "Not even you? I mean, Zack I get- but you could have said something while he was meeting with Angeal."

"What're you so mad at me for? It's not like we were deliberately hiding the fact from you."

"No, but…"

The rapid exchange left me to stand by, mystified. One thing was very clear, and I hoped announcing it would be enough to disrupt the discourse.

"Since the three of you already seem to know the lady, mind filling me in?"

Effective it was; they fell silent almost immediately. No one wanted to enlighten me. Zack shrugged at Kunsel, who rubbed his temples as if stricken by a sudden headache. His next words came out rather mumbled and reluctant.

"We met her at the club in Junon. On the dancefloor."

"More like she and her band of floozies _demanded_ we entertain them and wouldn't shove off when we told them to scram," Luxiere added sullenly.

"Lux…now's really not the time to get into-"

"Yeah, I think it is. I dunno why she wants to meet Lilith so bad, but she's a bitch, Zack. Plain and simple."

 _Well, that'll be something to look forward to when I return and come face to face with her_. By what little my friends had said, I knew now who this mystery woman of Genesis' might be. Likely one of those fangirls I'd seen in their booth when we first arrived. The one I'd glimpsed on the dancefloor when Genesis came up to me. _And isn't that just a little_ too _convenient?_

Aloud, I merely said, "Well, I suppose that'll be useful to keep in mind when I see her."

"But, Lilith," Zack protested with a sputter. "You can't be serious."

"Why can't I?"

"Because she's…I mean…well, you know."

 _Did he expect that to make sense?_ I wondered if either Kunsel or Luxiere understood what he meant. They nodded in agreement, so they must have. All three regarded me as if that tangle of sentence fragments should convince me to abandon the idea. And as much as I would have loved to debate the matter further, a glance to the clock told me we really didn't have the time for it.

"No idea what any of _that_ meant, but if we're getting to Junon today, we'd best be going." I shuffled a few steps backward, hoping it'd lure them away from the table- not to mention the subject of Genesis' lady-friend. "I'd rather not have to explain to Angeal that we didn't get there as planned."

Kunsel couldn't let the matter go, pressing me again.

"You're still not thinking to meet Danita, though, right?"

Of course I was. Now that I knew who she was, I had reasons of my own for seeing her. To my friends, though, I threw them a wry grin.

"I think you'd know me better than to expect an answer to that question."

5


	18. Chapter 18: Observations

Zack stood at the foot of the ramp, alternating glances between the enormous airship and the people milling around the platform. Kunsel stood on his left, likewise scanning the crowd; Lilith paced and muttered curses under her breath. Once or twice he thought he might have heard the words 'I'll strangle him if we miss this ship'. She was mad enough that she might just do it.

The four of them had gone their separate ways from Headquarters well over an hour ago. They were _supposed_ to rendezvous on the platform no later than quarter to two. Luxiere had yet to join them. No answer to any of their calls, either. And so now all they could do was wait and hope he arrived before the damned airship departed. At the moment, the odds of that weren't looking great.

 _One of us should have gone with him._ Luxiere was notorious for being late. To everything. When inviting him to something, people usually told Luxiere to arrive an hour earlier than everyone else. Just so he'd be there on time. And even that didn't always work. So why Zack thought today would be any different he'd never know.

"If he's not here in five minutes, we're boarding without him," Lilith announced without looking in their direction. "He'll just have to get to Junon on his own tomorrow."

Zack couldn't argue the decision. If she hadn't said it, he would have suggested the idea himself. They couldn't afford to miss this afternoon's meeting with the Mayor on Luxiere's account. Nor would their friend expect them to. The needs of the mission came before any individual SOLDIER- one of the first lessons drilled into them when they joined the outfit.

A few tense minutes passed. But before they were resolved to leave their friend behind, Zack spotted him weaving hurriedly through the groups loitering below. When at last Luxiere skidded to a breathless stop in front of them, Lilith was the first to demand an explanation.

"Where in the hell have you been!?"

He had the good sense not to argue with her tone.

"I know, I _know_. I'm late. I got caught in the hall by my landlord. I told him I had to go but he just wouldn't shut up about some renovation project in the building."

"Only you, Lux," Kunsel mused in an attempt at levity. "Someone always finds a reason to ensure you're late to wherever you're going."

"Too true, man. It's like I-"

"Save the jokes for later," Lilith cut in. "Let's just get on the airship."

She led the way up the ramp, leaving the rest of them to follow. While Luxiere didn't say anything, he gestured in frustrated aggravation once her back was turned. Zack shrugged at him, chalking her brusque manner up to nerves. She'd never been assigned to be the lead SOLDIER before. Even if the mission might not be all that important, Lilith would take the position seriously. Not exactly a bad thing, but Zack hoped she'd relax before they got to Junon or the next few days were going to be tough on all of them.

Seating aboard the ship turned out to be a bit of a challenge. Being the last flight to Junon for the day meant it was also one of the busiest. They didn't find a group of four together until reaching the very rear of the vessel. Even those weren't the greatest, crammed into a corner near the engines. Luxiere tried to look apologetic as he wedged himself in to the smallest seat.

"Guys, really. I'm sorry. How about I buy a round when we're in Junon?"

"Or two," Kunsel suggested, taking the seat across from him while trying not to elbow an elderly gentleman to his left. "We're packed into here like vermin."

"It'll only be for a few hours."

"Not exactly a plus, Lux."

While the two of them bickered, Zack tried to catch Lilith's attention. They should probably discuss what to do when they arrived in Junon and how to approach the meeting with the Mayor. From the itinerary he received in his folder, they had less than an hour to get to the office. Lilith's likely said the same, but he figured she might want to talk through any preparations ahead of time. Which was about the moment a thought struck him.

 _What happened to her folder, anyway?_

She hadn't brought it with her to the lounge earlier, and Zack didn't think Lilith would have taken it to her locker only to retrieve it ten minutes later. Equally unlikely that she wouldn't have brought it at all. True, of their group she had the best memory, but she couldn't possibly remember all of the instructions. So what happened to it? He decided to ask.

"Hey, Lilith- you brought your mission folder, right?"

She blinked and then reproached him, "Did you think I'd go into this unprepared?"

Odd answer. It sort of answered his question, but sort of didn't. Zack nearly pressed her for a more concrete answer, but changed his mind. Brushed off the feeling by telling himself it was just her nerves getting the better of her again. No reason to think otherwise.

"Great. I was thinking it made sense to review the mission plan. The flight'll take a while- might as well make use of the downtime." He pulled out his own folder, expecting Lilith to do the same. When she didn't, he frowned. "Unless you had other ideas…"

"No- you brought up a good point."

"So were you going to get your folder, then?"

"With how cramped it is here, probably easiest to just share yours."

Zack supposed she was right. As it was, he was squeezed between Kunsel and a female passenger. Hardly an inch to spare on either side, so he'd had to stow most of his gear under the bench. And since nothing on Lilith's copy would differ from his own, no sense dragging out both. He scooted to the edge of his seat to allow Lilith to see the itinerary page. For a few minutes, they studied it silently. Lilith sat back again and let out a breath.

"Well, that schedule is a tad rushed."

"You're being kind. It's practically impossible."

"The meeting with the Mayor I understand…but a Press conference at the docks? Why put both on the same day? Especially given how late in the day we're due to arrive."

He'd been thinking the same thing. It wasn't like an extra day would have mattered. Even a few days. But Angeal must have had a reason.

"Might be this is the only slot the Mayor has for a while," he suggested. "Politicians are always busy like that."

"Perhaps."

Zack waited a minute before asking, "So, what were you thinking? Hotel first, then meet the Mayor? Or just go straight there?"

Lilith pondered the question. He was in no hurry for her reply; the airship hadn't even launched yet. Of course no sooner had he finished that thought, Zack felt the unmistakable jolt as the tethers and cables detached from the platform. The engines driving the propellers whirred loudly, nearly deafening.

 _Okay, never again. I'd rather stand on the upper deck than deal with this misery._

The noise didn't seem to deter Luxiere and Kunsel to cease their debate. In fact, they were inspired to carry on all the more for it, raising their voices to be heard over the sound. Other passengers followed suit, and soon the whole cabin filled with the garble of shouted conversations. Zack could hardly stand it. He was about to suggest to Lilith that they head somewhere quieter when the airship's ascent leveled off and the engines quieted to a bearable hum.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to go back, Divya," a fellow passenger on his right queried in a low voice. He might not have heard it at all had she spoken a minute earlier. "You heard your aunt. Five more boats this week."

"We're almost out of funds, Rille. No one is hiring here in Midgar- we have to go back."

Zack listened to the exchange idly as he waited for Lilith to decide. The couple seemed to be discussing work prospects. If they'd been dock workers in Junon, he wasn't surprised they'd come to Midgar to escape the Leviathan. But it did seem odd that they hadn't gone back weeks ago. And what was that about the boats? He had no idea what any of that meant.

"I think we should stop at the hotel…even if the timing is tight," Lilith announced, disrupting Zack's train of thought. "If we're supposed to appear with the Press, I'd rather not be carrying all our gear around. It's just a hassle about where to stash it."

"Yeah. Wouldn't want to accidentally leave it somewhere."

"Or let some thief steal it," she countered. Her eyes darted to her right and back. Then with a wry smile, added, "And I suppose if the three of us all keep tabs on Luxiere, getting to the Mayor's office on time won't be an issue."

Their friend must have heard her remark. He threw Lilith and indignant look.

" _Hey!"_

"Hey what?" she queried innocently.

"I don't need one person over my shoulder making sure I get there, much less _three_."

"I think we'll all believe that when we see it."

"I'm late one-"

"Seven," Kunsel interrupted him. "We've been left waiting on you at _least_ seven times, Lux."

"Okay, seven."

"At least."

Their friend took the good-natured ribbing as best as he could, but couldn't hold in his exasperation.

"I _get_ it already. Can we drop the subject?"

Zack took pity on him, and tried to redirect the conversation back to the afternoon schedule.

"All right, guys, I think we've tortured Lux enough. What say we get back to this," he suggested, holding up a sheaf of papers with his hand. "Even with the long flight to Junon, we've got a lot to cover before we arrive. Particularly how to handle the Mayor when we get to his office."

"Absolutely right, Zack," Lilith agreed with a nod. "And I have some ideas on that score…"

* * *

The two hour flight was very nearly over. We were approaching the landing platform in Junon- and not a moment too soon, in my opinion. Between the cramped conditions and the arduous task of steering the guys in the right direction for the mission…I was already exhausted. It wasn't so much that they were unwilling to take direction from me as the mission leader.

 _Well, maybe a_ little _resistance from Luxiere,_ I admitted. No words were spoken, but I could tell he was obviously sore about that subject. Whether Zack or Kunsel felt that I had been unfairly given the position, I couldn't tell. They kept those thoughts well-hidden. _I can't see either of them wanting to be put in charge of this show. And Luxiere really doesn't want it, either, so to be so put out over it is just plain stupid._

Completely irrelevant. All of that. Because how the guys felt about acting as subordinate to me had nothing to do with why the conversation had been so challenging. That had more to do with knowing that the PR mission concealed the real reason why we were here. More specifically, why _I_ was here. Wouldn't have been so bad if I could have _told_ my friends even the barest information about that. But I couldn't. And therein lie the challenge.

I had to find logical reasons for orders I couldn't explain. Reasons that had nothing to do with the true purpose, and yet still sounded plausible. Like why none of them could ask the Mayor questions about the damage the Leviathan had done to the city. Seemed a logical thing to do when we were here to find out how things had improved. I'd only barely gotten my way with that one by playing up to the Mayor's ego. That questions would seem like a criticism, and that we were better off letting him initiate any discussion that direction. It worked, although once or twice, I noticed a sharp look from Kunsel. I worried that he'd press me with more questions, but he didn't.

 _It's only a matter of time before he does, though. That's just as unsettling._

In the midst of those observations, the ship descended the last few yards and was anchored to the platform. Passengers around us were gathering up their luggage and heading for the exit. My eyes strayed over the couple who'd been sitting next to me and Zack. The ones who'd mentioned boats in Junon. Five just this week, from what I'd heard them say. I was willing to bet if I asked about it, they'd tell me those boats went missing. And was equally certain these weren't the only ones.

 _Sephiroth had good reason to send a team to investigate the situation._ Unfortunately, questions now would only draw unwanted attention to the very thing I was trying to conceal from the guys, so the opportunity was lost. I tried not to be too disappointed, telling myself that the next few days would provide me with plenty others. The couple disappeared in the throng. _Beginning to think he knew my inquiries weren't a matter of_ if _I'd find any evidence of trouble here, but rather just how much._

"Lilith?"

Zack's query shook me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry, what?"

"I asked if we're all set to go."

"Yes. Forty-five minutes to get to the hotel and the Mayor's office."

We filed alongside the rest of the passengers to disembark. After what seemed like ages, we emerged from the belly of the airship onto its massive deck. I blinked against the brightness of the western sun, eyes still sensitive from hours spent in the dim lighting of the interior cabin. Once they adjusted, however, I was able to scan the Junon wharf.

 _Is it just me, or does it not seem to be as busy as I would expect at this hour?_

Maybe a few dozen vessels of varying sizes were moored up to the various piers. Another handful could be seen in the harbor. But for all the activity I did see, signs of a troubled industry were apparent. At least two of the boats looked like they hadn't been used in months. Great tarpaulins had been flung over them, crusted with sea spray and debris. One sported a great pelican's nest atop the forecastle.

Even the dock workers loading and unloading cargo were grimly silent. No market stalls lined the piers to trade in the daily catch. No hawkers trying to convince some newly arrived traveler to indulge in the latest savory creation conjured from the sea- usually deep-fried or smoked. Gone were the lively shouts and chatter that had characterized this place when I'd been stationed here a year ago. It all felt…empty.

I supposed over the next day or so, I'd get to the task of finding out just what was going on. For now, it was time to see what the Mayor would say. I readjusted my gear and strode down the gang plank to the dock below. Zack joined me on my left; Kunsel and Luxiere followed behind. None of us said much on the walk to our lodgings for the evening.

I tried not to sigh longingly as we passed the hotel from our previous mission. Wasn't easy. Despite the unpleasantness with Genesis and the migraine, I'd never stayed in a nicer room. I chided myself for the momentary weakness, as it would only make our present situation that much more disappointing. And boy was I right. We turned a corner and came to a stop before the building that would be our lodgings for the next few days.

A worn-looking structure, tucked away on a back street. The front windows were completely boarded up, and I wondered if we'd come to the right location. It didn't even look open. But a few letters of the sign flickered feebly in the gloom, offering a pathetic invitation to enter. Not the most inviting place.

 _Apparently, Shinra doesn't see the need for luxury when the 1_ _st_ _Classes aren't involved. Although,_ I added as I swept another look over the crumbling façade, _they could have sent us somewhere that wasn't likely to collapse while we sleep._

I lifted my shoulders in a half-hearted shrug and stepped through the door. The interior lobby wasn't in any better shape than the outside. A few chairs stowed in a dank corner, cushions worn and tearing at the seams; greyish wood trim- an unnatural discoloration that made me queasy for some reason. I crossed the room while trying to avoid touching anything in it. Same went for the front desk. The whole place smelled of mold.

 _It's only for a few days. Make the best of it._

Hardly a surprise to me that we were expected to make do with rough conditions. In fact, I'd been expecting to stay in a place like this last time. Well, maybe not quite as bad as _this_. But certainly not in a high class hotel. Lazard, or most likely Angeal, must not have wanted to deal with the hassle of coordinating two different lodging arrangements. No such luck this time, and my only consolation was that we weren't all expected to share a room.

The desk manager handed us our keys- four to be exact- and gestured rudely to the staircase to the far right when asked about the location.

"Sixth floor," he growled. "Two on the left. Other two on the right. You'll be sharin' one bathroom, jus' so you know."

"Not a problem, sir," I lied, all the while picturing the nightmare of sharing a bathroom with three guys.

 _It's only for a few days,_ I repeated. _You've endured far worse for far longer._

It didn't help one bit.

The bare bulbs cast little light on the narrow staircase as we climbed to our rooms. A few had burned out, leaving whole sections shrouded in inky shadows. I heard someone miss a stair, followed by muttered curses. But we kept going until at last we reached the top. Nothing but an empty corridor with a small window at the far end to let anemic sunlight filter through its grimy panes. Luxiere was the first to comment.

"I get that Shinra's cheap, but this is ridiculous. I mean…will you just _look_ at this place? Angeal can't possibly expect us to stay here."

"Pretty sure he does, Lux," Kunsel replied. "It's not like we have much of a choice. Unless you were thinking to pony up the gil to get yourself a better room."

"As if I could afford to."

Ignoring their debate, I examined my key. Room 601. None of the doors were marked as far as I could tell. Maybe they had been at some point, but irregular splotches of peeling paint were all that remained. With an educated guess, I stepped up to the first door on the left and inserted my key in the lock. It turned grudgingly, but the door wouldn't budge until I gave it a determined shove with my shoulder. Water damage had warped the doorjamb. I wondered if this building had suffered damage during the Leviathan attacks last month. After all, it was only a few blocks from the pier. Might explain a few things.

 _A question for later,_ I reminded myself. A quick chat with the building manager would be the best way to find out. So I made a mental note to see to that after we were through with the Mayor and the Press.

Right now, I had only time enough to throw my gear onto the pitiful excuse for a mattress and emerge once more into the hall. The guys must have followed my example; the corridor was empty, if only for a minute. I was soon joined by Kunsel, whose room was opposite mine. We stared awkwardly at one another. Finally, I just came out and said what neither of us were overly eager to address.

"We're going to have to find some way of making this work. I don't know about you, but my preference is to keep yesterday's conversation between us."

"Same here," Kunsel agreed quietly. "Any ideas?"

"Not really. You?"

"Not a clue. Wasn't exactly prepared to be thrown on a mission like this."

 _You and me both._ My expression must have given that thought away, but before he could ask me a question, Zack and Luxiere's doors opened. We both turned towards the sound. _I suppose we'll just have to make this up as we go._

"Well, we're all set," Zack announced cheerfully. I both envied and resented the ease with which he could conjure up a positive mood. It was all I could to not to scowl. "And looks like you are, too. What say we get this business with the Mayor over with?"

"Gladly," Luxiere agreed. "Sooner we get over there, sooner we're done."

As for myself, I could only nod; Kunsel was likewise silent. Our whole group filed back down the stairs, this time with Zack leading. I tried not to think of Kunsel's stare between my shoulder blades. At least our friends had been too focused on the upcoming meeting to speculate about what Kunsel and I had been discussing. _Let's try to keep it that way, shall we?_

The closer we got to the city center, the busier Junon's streets became. Far more activity than the last time we were here. I took that as a good sign, hoping that maybe the conversation I'd overheard was about something else. Without listening to the whole conversation it was very possible to misinterpret what little I'd heard. After all, shops were open and people were bustling about their business. All kinds of people. Men, women- even groups of children darted through the crowded streets. None of them seemed uneasy- except for a wary look directed at the four of us every now and then, but that was to be expected. Civilians were always cautious around SOLDIERs.

By the time we'd reached the Mayor's office, I'd nearly convinced myself that I'd let my imagination get the better of my impartial judgement earlier. And not just about the conversation on the airship. So the docks were more vacant than I'd expected. Could be anything. Perhaps that part of the wharf hadn't seen as much renovation yet, and it still wasn't safe to resume business as usual. Why jump to conclusions that a Leviathan still plagued the city? My mission was to investigate what I found, not settle on a particular theory beforehand and look for evidence to support it.

A secretary or personal aide met us in the waiting room outside the office proper. He might have been the same one from our last visit; I couldn't quite recall. In any case, he greeted us- well, primarily Zack- with a supercilious purse of the lips that I supposed could be called a smile. Bureaucrats…they made my flesh crawl. This one granted us access to the suite, which I noticed was devoid of any sign of the Mayor. As if sensing our curiosity on that score, the hawk-like man gestured to the great wood-paneled door behind him.

"I'm afraid the Mayor is not quite ready to see you at this time, so if you would, please make yourselves comfortable here until he is finished with his very important business."

I double checked the time on the clock sitting on the corner of the desk. Half-past four. Exactly when we were due to be here according to Angeal's schedule. No one was as careful as Angeal about punctuality, so I doubted the fault lie on our end. And yet, the question must be asked. I claimed a spot next to Zack and strove for a tone that didn't sound overly hostile.

"We were told our appointment was at four-thirty. Has there been a scheduling mistake?"

For all the good that did me. The man barely acknowledged my inquiry, and only provided a response after receiving a pointed look from Zack.

"A last minute conflict. The Mayor's schedule is extremely full, and these things tend to happen." I must have looked unimpressed with the explanation, for he continued, "Running a city is a complicated business, young lady. Not something _you_ would understand."

His answer was both condescending and rude- enough to rile my temper; I wrestled it back into submission with difficulty.

"I'm no naïve country bumpkin, and my question was perfectly reasonable."

Answering back did not endear me to the man. He just stared down his nose at me with annoyance, and then restated his initial demand in a cold, flat voice.

"Then you won't find it unreasonable to wait. The Mayor will see you when he is at liberty to do so."

The Mayor's aide considered the matter settled, not giving me the opportunity to ask just how long we might be expected to wait. Zack didn't press him for that information, either. So the man resumed his seat and focused his attention on the computer monitor. Every now and then fingers moved over the keyboard, punctuating the silence with staccato chatter. Meanwhile, the four of us milled around the room. For nearly a half hour.

Finally, I could contain myself no longer, and approached the desk. When clearing my throat didn't get the man's attention, I decided to be more direct.

"Sir," I addressed him in a firm voice. "Busy or not, the Mayor arranged for us to be here for the express purpose of seeing him. So whatever this conflict is, I suggest that you see your way to finding out how much longer it will delay our appointment."

"Disturbing the Mayor when he is in conference is impossible, I'm afraid. Simply impossible. You will just have to wait like anyone else."

I was not deterred.

"May I remind you that Shinra's SOLDIERs do not wait on the whims of _civilians_ \- not even the Mayor of Junon. So either we get on with this, or my colleagues and I are leaving. We'll return when your employer sees fit to honor a scheduled appointment."

I'd thrown down the gauntlet and waited to see if the man would think I was bluffing. I wasn't. If he didn't get us into that meeting, I was fully prepared to walk out. Would my friends walk out with me, though? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw their guarded expressions. They weren't happy about the ultimatum, but they knew I was right to make it. The 1st Classes certainly wouldn't have accepted such treatment. And while we weren't quite as illustrious as those three, we weren't so easily dismissed, either.

In any case, the aide believed me to be serious. Not only that, but he was taken aback at the authority my tone commanded. And since he received no support from the other three males in the room, capitulation was the only option. He blinked at me a few times before rising with an unintelligible mumble about seeing what he could do. Eyes downcast, he scurried to the door and slipped inside the office beyond.

I could hear nothing of that conversation, but it wasn't long before both the aide and Mayor emerged. Just the two of them. _Makes me wonder if he had been meeting with anyone at all._ Hard to prove either way. As for the portly man himself, he tried to conceal flustered annoyance behind the nauseating grin plastered on his face. I pretended not to see through it and faked a smile of my own as he drew near.

"My sincerest apologies," the Mayor bellowed, "for having kept all of you fine people waiting for so dreadfully long. And after the long trip you've made, too- all the way from Midgar."

I shared a brief, dubious look with Zack, hoping that the politician didn't really believe we'd be pacified by such an obvious exaggeration. Midgar and Junon weren't all that far from one another. Certainly not as far away as places like Wutai, Banora or Mideel. A few hours by airship was hardly a trip worthy of exclaim. But before I could reply, the Mayor launched right into his next speech.

"And how wonderful it is to have the four of you return to my fair city. Assisting in the wake of that dreadful business with the Leviathan. Who better to see how much Junon has recovered than SOLDIERs who'd helped destroy the wretched creature?"

 _Oh this is going to be a very long few days if he's going to talk nonstop like before_ , I complained inwardly. _Why do politicians love the sound of their own voices so much?_ If someone didn't interject quickly, we might have to endure a good deal more of this. As mission leader, that duty fell to me.

"We are glad to be of assistance. Especially in the service of promoting good relations between the city of Junon and Shinra."

The Mayor turned his full attention to me; I knew whatever he was about to say next, I would not like in the least.

"May I say how glad I am to see you recovered enough to take part in this mission, my dear. I hope that assisting Fair and your two colleagues will not prove too taxing."

 _Taxing? It's been nearly a month since the battle._ At first, I couldn't decide whether his comment was intended to be chauvinistic, or he was just that woefully ignorant when it came to understanding basic healing. His condescending expression tipped the balance in favor of the former, and I was sorely tempted to blister everyone's ears with a scathing retort. But self-control won out.

 _This is why Sephiroth chose you_ , I reminded myself, even as my back teeth snapped together in silent outrage. _No different than last time- and is exactly what you need if you're going to get what you want out of him. Let him think he's got the upper hand and that you don't see anything wrong._ Up to a point, anyway. I had to correct _one_ assumption before we got any further.

"Actually, they're are assisting me."

My words caught him by surprise. "I beg your pardon?"

"I am the mission leader for this assignment."

He started to deny the possibility. Stopped. Smiled.

"Of _course_ ," he crooned. "A campaign of peace and community is the perfect opportunity to showcase the gentler side of SOLDIER. I commend Shinra for making a wise decision in how best to utilize you, my dear. Far better than getting mixed up in battles more suited to your male colleagues."

How I held a smile I couldn't say, but in my head I was imagining running the Mayor through with my sword. Repeatedly. Skewer him right through the eye like I did with the Oceanus. We'd see who was so 'gentle' then. A tempting thought- and perhaps a little _too_ tempting, given that my sword was still holstered at my back. Wouldn't take but a second to reach behind and…

 _No_ , I admonished myself sternly. _You're here to do a job. And you need the Mayor alive._ My eyes narrowed ever so slightly. _For the time being._

Aloud, I did my best not to say anything suspicious. Even managed a bemused chuckle as I parried the insult behind a politic reply, "Well, of anything Shinra does well, it's optimize its available resources."

The Mayor's braying laugh filled the room.

"That they do."

"Mayor, sir," the aide interjected timidly. "The Press. They're assembled at the wharf for the photo op. Bit of a rush if they hope to run the story in tomorrow's edition."

"Yes, yes. By all means. We should be going."

* * *

"Okay, just one more shot- this time with just the Mayor and you, little lady," said an energetic photographer from behind his camera. His left hand gestured in a flurry of motion. "If you just move a bit to the right. No, the right. I said _right_." He sighed, exasperated. "Not _your_ right. _My_ right."

Luxiere watched the proceedings with an apathetic grimace. They'd been posed and carted around the docks for the past hour and a half while nearly a dozen photographers snapped their 'perfect' shots. Mostly of the Mayor and Lilith. He couldn't decide if he were jealous or relieved that she was getting all the attention.

"Okay. Now let's try it from this angle here. The lighting will be much more dramatic."

The wizened little man spent several minutes positioning his 'subjects' _just_ right. _Nope. I don't want any part of that. Lilith can have the privilege of being mission leader for this excursion._ The more he'd heard about what they'd be doing, the less upset he was about being passed over. And he supposed he hadn't been, really. Lilith and he were equal when it came to rank. _Can't say that about Zack or Kunsel, though. But I guess they don't seem to care about being stepped over on this one._

Beside him, he heard Zack exhale through his teeth, clearly as bored as he was with all this.

"How long you figure we'll be at this," he asked his friend. "I mean, how many pictures do they need for a simple story, anyway?"

"I dunno, Lux. As long as it takes."

"If this is all we're doing, I'm not even sure why the three of us were even _needed_ for this mission. Lilith could have done it all herself."

"Sephiroth said this required four 2nd Classes."

"He didn't happen to say why, did he?"

"No. But like it or not, we're here. Even if it's just to make sure there's no trouble."

Luxiere glanced sideways and queried, "Trouble like what?"

Zack's eyes remained on the scene in front of them. He said nothing. Just kept close watch on Lilith as the Mayor made yet another comment about how well-suited she was for this endeavor. For her part, their friend bore it with placid indifference.

"What, you think she'd upset the whole mission on account of a few off-color remarks? This is the Mayor of Junon we're talking about. You don't go picking fights with someone like him."

"Yeah, well, you don't pick fights with the 1st Classes, either," Kunsel muttered. "But she's been doing plenty of _that_ lately. So what's to stop her from tearing into the Mayor?"

"Exactly my point," Zack replied.

"Angeal had to have known how the Mayor would react," Luxiere commented after a pause. "Two or three days of this- seems cruel."

"Yeah, but think of it from Shinra's perspective. This mission is all about image."

"I know that. So?"

"So SOLDIER isn't exactly known for having a cordial and personable relationship with the people. Civilians see us and are immediately uneasy. Most of them think of us as little more than killing machines." The truth, albeit a depressing one. Zack nodded to where Lilith stood between the Mayor and the master of the shipyard, laughing politely at something the latter must have said. "Not her, though. They look at Lilith and are willing to believe she's like them."

"Still, though…"

"Lux, just let it go. It's a moot point; there's nothing we can do talking about it."

He might have tried to further the debate- mostly because they didn't have anything else to do to kill time- but the crowd seemed to be breaking up. Photographers were packing up their equipment and disappearing from the dock in groups of twos and threes. The reporters, however, hadn't thinned out at all. A cluster of them gathered around the Mayor, posing questions in a haphazard fashion. Luxiere wondered how anyone was expected to answer any one person when they all talked at once.

 _Will this nightmare_ ever _end?_

Apparently not. Two eager young reporters approached their trio, standing off to the side as they were. Must have gotten tired waiting to be heard at the main event and decided to dig for a story here. The woman on the right tipped her hat at them and flashed a smile.

"Howdy there. I'm Roberts and this is my partner, Darrow. If you don't mind, we'd love to ask the three of you a few questions. For the _Junon Sentinel_."

The question wasn't directed at anyone in particular, but Luxiere held his tongue. Everyone might think he was a bit of a loose cannon and didn't know when to keep quiet, but he knew enough not to mess with the Press. He valued his career with SOLIDER too much to risk getting mixed up in all that. Best to let Zack do most of the talking. Kunsel must have thought the same, because he was likewise silent.

"What did you want to know," Zack replied at last.

"Well, we were hoping to write a piece that took a 'then and now' look at things. The three of you were all here last month to fight the Leviathan, correct?"

"Yes."

"Excellent! And for the record- your names?"

"Zack Fair. That's Kunsel on my left; Luxiere on my right."

They scribbled furiously on their notepads, nodding enthusiastically. Without looking up, Darrow asked, "And your friend over there with the Mayor? She was here as well, we heard."

"She was." Zack looked somewhat uncomfortable to speak for her, and paused. The journalist glanced up expectantly, obviously looking for him to supply her name as well. "Her name is Lilith. Lilith Morgan."

"Uh huh. So," Roberts raised her eyes and poised her pen at the ready. "A little background before we get into current events. Was that the first Leviathan you've ever fought?"

 _Better you than me, my friend._

They'd been briefed on the return to Midgar about what they could- and _couldn't_ say about the Leviathan. Not surprisingly, the second list was far longer than the first. Zack tread carefully as he tried to answer the reporters' questions without disobeying orders. Meanwhile, Luxiere let his attention wander. For some time, he merely stared at the open water of the harbor, remembering that great battle. Never in his life had he seen a creature so large. He didn't lie to himself by saying he hadn't been nervous, SOLDIER or not. Especially when his attacks seemed to have no effect whatsoever.

 _No sign of that battle now. I wonder if they repaired the far end of the pier where Lilith fought the Oceanus._ The whole area had been in rough shape- oak planks splintered to pieces, foundation in shambles. Luxiere wouldn't have been surprised if it had to be completely demolished and rebuilt. Too far away to tell, though.

The reporters fired off more questions. Luxiere listened with half an ear while his friend supplied the answers they wanted. With the other, he tried to catch some of what was going on a few yards away. More than a few reporters had deserted the area, leaving only the most persistent behind to harangue the Mayor for 'just one more question'. He could see Lilith's determination flagging a bit. Not that he could blame her there.

 _We've still two more days of this to go,_ he thought glumly. _Sure hope we can at least have a good time out tonight before doing this all over again tomorrow._

Might be a bit of a stretch to get Kunsel to relax, though. The man hadn't been any fun at all since the night club disaster. But maybe without Genesis here to ruin everything this time, he'd cheer up. Would almost make this mission worth the all the misery. It'd be just the four of them again- like the good old days.

Out of the edge of his peripheral vision, Luxiere studied his friend. _Who knows- maybe when Kunsel and Lilith talked things out, he got what he wanted. Zack had stopped him from asking, so he didn't know for sure what happened yesterday._

He supposed it made sense for the two of them to keep something like that quiet back at Headquarters. SOLDIER had its share of gossip mongers who'd make both their lives a living hell if word got out. This was Junon, though. No need to pretend when it was just them. Luxiere certainly didn't care if those two saw a bit of action. It'd make him less guilty about getting some of his own.

 _And heaven knows both of them could do with some fun. Too damned serious- the pair of them._

The last of the reporters scurried away. He hoped the two playing twenty questions with Zack would take the hint and get going, too. They didn't seem inclined, chattering on as if no one had anything better to do. If he was expecting the Mayor and Lilith to scare them off by joining their group, he was disappointed. The former didn't budge, no matter how much it appeared the latter tried to steer them towards her friends. Snatches of their conversation drifted over to him, and Luxiere strained to make sense of what he was hearing.

 _"…would consider it a personal favor…"_

 _"…couldn't possibly…"_

That from Lilith, who was protesting with a subtle shake of her head. But the Mayor didn't give up.

 _"…just an hour or two…"_

 _"…should prepare for tomorrow…"_

 _"…excellent opportunity…lady like you…"_

Lilith did not answer for some time. Her gaze strayed to Zack…or maybe Kunsel; it was hard to tell. The Mayor tucked a hand in the crook of her arm and smiled down at her. It looked like he might have whispered something in her ear, but whatever it was didn't carry far enough for Luxiere to hear it. Lilith considered for a moment longer, and then nodded her assent.

 _What did you just agree to, Lilith?_

No time to wonder. Roberts and Darrow had just bid them farewell, and with his business with Lilith concluded, the Mayor swept over in high spirits.

 _Please not another long-winded speech. Please not another long-winded speech,_ he begged silently.

"Well, I believe that takes care of that. I'm sure the four of you aren't exhausted at all, but I'm afraid us mere civilians aren't conditioned for such grueling activity so late into the evening."

Boring? Yes. _Grueling?_ Hardly. Quite frankly, the paunchy, middle-aged politician could do with a bit of rigorous training once in a while. He was certain to keel over from a heart attack before long. Luxiere kept that thought to himself, though.

"We appreciate your time and cooperation," Lilith answered smoothly. "As does Shinra."

"Well put, my dear." He gave her one last doting look before turning to the rest of them. "I trust your accommodations are taken care of?"

"Yes, sir," Zack assured him. "We're fine."

 _Fine my ass. Those rooms aren't fit for rats._

"Wonderful. Good to hear it. Now, I really must be going or I'll miss my dinner engagements for this evening. Do let my assistant, Webber, know if you need anything from the Mayor's office. We shall meet again tomorrow afternoon."

"Of course, sir."

And then he was gone, striding across the pier with a gait that was both arrogant and ungainly. The four of them stared after him until he was out of sight. Then Lilith sighed, massaging her temples vigorously.

"Well, we survived. One day down."

"You okay," Zack asked.

"Yeah. Just…never had to smile so much in my whole life." She worked her jaw with her fingertips. "Thought my face might get stuck if that photoshoot lasted much longer."

"At least there won't be much of that tomorrow."

"Let's hope not."

A minute or two passed. Luxiere shifted from foot to foot, trying to relieve the numbness that had crept in from standing so long. He waited for someone to suggest what to do next. Namely… _finding food_. And hopefully booze. Even if he was the one paying. No one did, though. Just the sound of the water lapping gently against the pylons below their feet. That is, until his stomach rumbled. Three heads turned to him in bemusement.

Luxiere cleared his throat and said, "So, ah…anyone else starving to death? Because I could sure go for a decent meal right now."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey there to my loyal Readers. Giving a particular shout out to Anonymous Birdy- always enjoy seeing your messages! Adding this note here to say that no worries, I most definitely _am_ working on Chapter 19. Mostly got it drafted through, so if I'm lucky, I should have the final edited chapter up sometime this coming weekend. So keep an eye out!


	19. Chapter 19: Shadows and Charades

"I think we all could, Lux," Zack agreed with a laugh. "It's been a good six hours since lunch and I'm more than a little hungry myself. Lilith? Thoughts?"

I _was_ hungry. Unlike the guys, I hadn't even gotten to eat before leaving Midgar. But as much as I wanted to go with them, I had other plans. Rather, an opportunity that I couldn't afford to miss.

The Mayor wanted to see me tonight. _Alone_.

I was no fool. I understood _exactly_ what that meant, nor was I entirely surprised. Hardly anything unusual that he would use his political power to sate an appetite for female company; plenty of that went on in Midgar, too. To be fair, though, the practice was equally rampant on the other side of the gender divide. Most of the time, they were content to play those games among members of their own class. The more cautious were all about who they could seduce without anyone the wiser, while others flaunted their liaisons publicly as part of some scandalous competition. Distasteful, but had nothing to do with any of us in the lower levels of society.

Except for a select few who played an altogether different game.

They'd come to the slums- usually just after nightfall- and stalk the dilapidated alleys for the most desperate among us. Or the most gullible. And the more deplorable our clothes and general appearance, the better in the eyes. Once they found what they were looking for, those predators- and they _were_ most definitely predators- would ply every tactic to entice the poor soul into an 'arrangement'. They'd wave around extravagant purses of gil, promising that and more in exchange for an hour or two of 'entertainment'. I'd seen plenty of people who were too desperate to decline. Some actually believed it an opportunity for a better life.

Most times, it only made things worse. A _lot_ worse.

 _The past,_ I reminded myself. _Leave it there and focus on the present._

Here was a chance to exploit the very game that had exploited so many. I'd already won the first round, having successfully convinced the Mayor that I was no more than a subservient and yielding puppet. Definitely not a threat. And all it required of me was a few hours of empty-headed grinning at whatever chauvinistic comment that passed from his lips. Not that it had been easy by any means. But the effort had been worth it when the Mayor pressed me to see him later on _personal_ business.

 _Although, he could have been a_ little _more circumspect,_ I thought with irritation. He hadn't been exactly quiet, and standing next to that open water…voices tended to carry. _So help me if one of the guys overheard. I really don't want to explain what I'm up to to them._ And that's if I even _could_ explain without giving away my mission. _Which I_ _doubt_.

None of any of that helped me with my current dilemma. Namely, finding a suitable reason to stay behind when my friends went out. Preferably one that didn't arouse any suspicion. If I was lucky, I'd think of one by the time we got to the hotel. For now, I could only pretend to go along with their idea. So I conjured up yet another smile from somewhere, and nodded.

"After the day we've had, I think food is in order."

"Ditto here," Kunsel added. "Zack, you've been here more than the rest of us- any recommendations?"

"There's a pub on Broad Street that serves up decent food at reasonable prices. I tended to go there after-hours. But if that's not what you're looking for, we could try somewhere else."

"Sounds good to me. And it'd be a perfect place for Lux to make good on his promise."

"I _knew_ I wasn't getting out of that," their friend groused. "But I suppose it _was_ my fault we got stuck with those awful seats on the airship…so I guess I can buy the first round."

"I thought we agreed on two."

"Fine, then. Two."

"Or three," Kunsel suggested, tongue in cheek.

"Not on your life. Two and no more."

"Ah, well, Zack can show us the way and we'll see if I can coax a third out of you after you've had a few."

The way the conversation had turned, I worried that we'd end up going directly to the pub. Unacceptable. If we did, I'd be unable to prepare for my assignation with the Mayor. Definitely couldn't afford to let that happen. I'd brought with me a collection of items that were invaluable- and quite frankly, _necessary_ \- on the off-chance such an opportunity might come up, but needed time to get them ready. So after a moment's thought, I came up with a way to nudge them in the direction I wanted to go.

"Any objections to dropping by the hotel first? I'd rather not wear this-" I gestured to my uniform- "longer than I have to. And I'm sure we'd create less of a fuss if we could blend in with the locals."

"Good point. Been more than enough 'fuss' already with the Press," Zack agreed.

"Oh, but…"

"C'mon, Lux. You won't die if we make a quick detour to change."

Luxiere sighed heavily, "No, I guess not."

"To the hotel, then?"

We left the pier, now bathed in the molten glow of the setting sun. It hovered just above the horizon, throwing fractured images of itself across the rippling waves of the harbor. I cast one last look behind me to admire the sight before we were plunged into the darkening alleyways of Junon.

Street lamps flickered to life above our heads. I noted that more than a few had burned out- or were damaged- and hadn't been replaced. Especially the closer we drew near our hotel, which looked even more foreboding now that dusk had fallen. Shadows choked the narrow alley into submission; the half-hearted glimmer from the hotel sign was ill-equipped to combat the night alone. My eyes darted to the darkest corners, looking for potential trouble. An involuntarily reflex ingrained in me from life in the slums. A place like this could hide anything.

Zack and Luxiere swept past me to enter the alley. They conversed merrily about the prospects of the evening and were soon inside the building. Neither of them had realized that I didn't follow. My feet refused to move as I was thrust unexpectedly into an onslaught of unpleasant memories. I wasn't in Junon anymore; the alley had become every rat-infested backstreet of Midgar's slums of my youth. If I took a step forward, it'd send me back there.

An irrational fear, I knew, but telling myself that did nothing to quell it. _Get it together, Lilith. You're a SOLDIER now. Even if someone were lurking in that alley, you're more than capable of defending yourself._ If only those words did any good. Usually they did, in times like this. But everyone once in a while, I'd work myself into a true panic. Nothing to do but wait it out until the anxiety passed.

I didn't hear Kunsel approach and come to a stop on my right until he spoke my name.

"Lilith?"

I jolted, more than a little startled, and flicked a brief look in his direction. Worry there. Meaning he could tell I wasn't doing so well. A suspicion confirmed when he followed up with a question.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"No," I denied in automatic reflex, so accustomed to concealing any sign of weakness from everyone. A half-minute passed before I relented. "Yes."

"I thought as much. You're staring like something worse than a Leviathan is waiting for you in there."

"You could say that."

We lapsed into silence again, until Kunsel dared ask, "Lilith, what could be so terrifying about an empty street?"

I think he already knew. He'd heard enough yesterday for him to guess, anyway. I could have told him I didn't want to talk about it, and left him to imagine the answers for himself. But I didn't. I gave voice to the nightmare that continued to plague me my whole adult life.

"Every now and then, dark spaces- especially alleys like this- make me uneasy." When he made no reply, I forged ahead. "Too many reminders of the slums. Night was a dangerous time to be caught alone."

Kunsel didn't ask what kind of danger I'd seen. He knew. Or at least he thought he knew. Really, he could never understand, and I couldn't bring myself to tell him about any of it. Admitting that I had fears was one thing; elaborating on the underlying reasons causing them was another. Kunsel certainly didn't need to know that in some of my memories, I hadn't been the unlucky victim. The dark made monsters out of everyone, given the choice between surviving…and not.

I squared my shoulders and tipped a brief glance in his direction.

"It's just a feeling. Always passes."

Thankfully had already begun to pass while we were talking. I felt almost back to normal. And a good thing, too, since I couldn't stand around in the street all evening when everything I needed was up in my room. I was just about to suggest we head inside when Kunsel tilted his head slightly to the side thoughtfully.

"Is that why you kept putting off the blindfold training?"

Unable to contain it, I let out a much-aggrieved groan. No help for it, though, and so I fessed up.

"Yes, but I'd really _really_ appreciate it if you didn't tell Zack or Luxiere. I'd never hear the end of it."

I thought he might have smiled- if just barely- before promising, "Secret's safe with me."

"Much obliged." I sighed and took a step forward. "Well, best head inside, I think. I'm sure Luxiere will want to be on our way again."

Kunsel fell in step beside me. I wasn't sure he quite believed that I was all right, but at least he didn't press me about it. Gamely, he went along with the change of subject.

"Never saw him so eager to spend his own coin."

"I'm sure his _parsimonious_ nature will return when he gets the bill."

We both snickered in amusement, and I felt the last of my anxiety evaporating like fog under the noonday sun. How long might I have stood there if Kunsel hadn't come along to coax me out of my panic? Likely a good deal longer than I cared to admit.

"Thank you, by the way," I said quietly as we reached the sagging landing outside the hotel doorstep.

He paused, hand resting on the knob.

"What for?"

"Back there." I nodded to the alley entrance. "For asking if I was all right. You didn't have to."

"Wasn't about whether I had to or not."

"I know. But after yesterday…might have been easier to just let it go."

Kunsel shrugged, raking his free hand through his hair. As always, one sandy lock sprang forward, refusing to be smoothed back with the rest. A half-ton of hair gel couldn't keep it in place.

"Easier, perhaps, but not the actions of a friend." I was unequal to the task of replying, too aware of how that word must still cut into him. My silence must have prompted him to add, "I know what I'm doing, Lilith. Trust me, it's all right."

With that, he pulled open the door and disappeared into the gloom of the interior.

* * *

Such a long, boring day. Aside from his less than productive conversation with Lilith, the afternoon hours had passed in uneventful monotony for Genesis. Most of them spent ducking anything and anyone who might require him to do any work. Of Angeal and Sephiroth, he'd seen not even a glimpse. So much the better; no reason to suffer their company any more than he'd already had to.

Meaning he had no intentions of returning to Angeal's office after-hours to listen to those two discuss _their_ plans about the Leviathan business. Since this morning's lecture, Genesis had plenty of time to think about the whole affair. He was even more convinced now than he was then that attempting to collaborate with Sephiroth would be pointless. Neither he nor Angeal saw him as anything more than an inconvenience. That was fine. If they wanted to focus on Junon with their precious 2nd Classes, he'd take care of Banora himself. It was just a matter of how to do that. And yet, even with several hours to think about the problem, the day was still incredibly tedious.

Not that it couldn't have been more interesting if Genesis hadn't been studiously ignoring his cell phone. That was bound to be more aggravating than anything- far from a welcome diversion. Likely a prodigious number of missed calls and text messages from Danita. He hadn't called to provide an update on the Lilith situation. As the afternoon wore on, no doubt the woman would have been increasingly anxious about the meeting. A meeting that had absolutely no chance of happening for at least a few days. So by now…

Genesis withdrew his phone with a reluctant sigh and pressed the button to illuminate its display.

«27 MISSED CALLS»

How? How could she have called _that_ many times over a stupid meeting like this? Genesis was as much baffled as he was annoyed. Especially when he scrolled through to see that Danita had left a voicemail each time. And when she wasn't calling, she'd been texting- paragraph upon paragraph demanding to know what he'd arranged. He deleted the whole thread without reading them. What was the point? Danita would just repeat it all when he saw her in person.

Just as he'd resumed walking the corridors, a new message flashed on-screen. Caught Genesis by surprise- as did the message itself. So much so that he checked himself mid-stride to read it again.

«CALL ME IMMEDIATELY TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF»

Explain himself? The woman had clearly overestimated her own significance. He was a SOLDIER 1st Class; he didn't have to explain himself to anyone. Least of all her. Genesis let the screen darken and slipped it back in his pocket. Danita could damn well wait the twenty minutes it'd take him to return to the apartment.

 _I should send her away and be done with this aggravation._

When he hadn't been thinking about how to help Banora, his thoughts had often turned to what he should do about the fangirl. True, the sex as phenomenal. Genesis enjoyed that part of their…he hesitated over the word 'relationship', preferring not to label exactly what was between them. Wasn't the point. Outside of the bedroom, the woman was tiresome. Demanding, petty and extremely jealous. The more the day wore on, the less he understood why he hadn't kicked her out already.

 _Soon as I tell her Lilith's gone to Junon, I'll insist she leave,_ he vowed. _No 'one more night' to say goodbye. Just be done with her._

Words Genesis repeated to himself time and again as he made his way home. Along the way, he couldn't help noticing the cliques of ladies out on town for the evening. Or the inviting looks they flashed in his direction. They tittered in excitement the moment he acknowledged their regard. Just like the old days when he was free and could take a different woman home every night if he wanted.

All too tempting to follow wherever one of those invitations went. Just not go back to the apartment at all. But the thought of what Danita might do in his absence gave him pause. Best not to incur _that_ sort of trouble. And so Genesis walked on, pretending to be oblivious of the temptations of Midgar after dark. If he finished with Danita swiftly, perhaps he could still enjoy the night. That thought cheered him enough to quicken his steps, and in no time at all, he was riding the elevator up to his apartment.

She was waiting for him just inside the door.

"Why haven't you called me!?" Danita demanded shrilly.

The cheerful mood vanished as he crossed the threshold and stepped around the irate woman. Completely ignored her and her question. Frankly, he was inclined to remove her bodily from the apartment, without so much as a word. Not about what he'd been doing all day- or about her chances of meeting with Lilith. No woman shouted at him. But she just wasn't worth the effort, and so he left her standing there in disbelief.

"Genesis!" she called out after him. "Did you hear me?!"

 _I'm pretty sure the whole building heard you._ Not that the volume of her voice would have any bearing on whether he felt compelled to answer. Quite the opposite, in fact. Her shrewish behavior encouraged him to begin his evening on town even earlier than planned, and decided a change of clothes was in order. Genesis' footsteps carried him down the short hallway and into his bedroom, where he immediately shed his garments. The crimson jacket he hung carefully in the closet; the rest he deposited in a basket to be laundered.

Unhurried, he flicked through his wardrobe, back to the door. Silence settled through the apartment. For several minutes, only the gentle scrape of metal marked the time as he drew each hanger across the support rod. Rhythmic and calming. And since he heard nothing from Danita, he figured she was pouting in the living room. A dress shirt of deep indigo caught his attention. Genesis shrugged it on and was just about to button it when a pair of hands settled lightly on his shoulders.

 _Not in the living room after all,_ he mused, only slightly alarmed that he hadn't heard her enter the room. Rather than slide out from under her touch, he continued to ignore her. Merely worked his way down the row of buttons before reaching for a suitable jacket. Only then did she speak.

"Darling, I'm sorry," Danita apologized in a wheedling whine. "I didn't mean to get so angry. It's just that it's _so_ late…and I was so worried, because you weren't returning any of my messages. And you'd promised to-"

"I made no such promise," Genesis cut in. "I merely said I'd look into the matter."

The rebuff didn't deter her. If anything, it only inspired her to try again. Though to her credit, she did change her approach.

"But _Genesis,_ " Danita drew out his name in an exaggerated sigh. "I was so looking forward to seeing your friend today."

 _Friend,_ he thought with a derisive snort. _Never in a million years._ To Danita, he offered a minimal reply.

"The timing was not convenient. Lilith had other commitments."

"So? I would have thought you clever enough to convince her to change her plans. After all, you're a 1st Class- her…superior? Shouldn't she have to do what you say?"

 _That'll be the day._

Genesis hadn't met a SOLDIER who was less inclined to disregard his authority. But that's what came of promoting women above 3rd Class; gave them the misguided impression that they weren't Shinra's tokens of feigned equal opportunity. Sephiroth could say what he would about that battle with the Oceanus, but Genesis still believed Lilith had merely gotten lucky. Which, of course, had only fed her delusion that she was a true SOLDIER.

He felt no need to express any of those thoughts to Danita. Instead, he broke away from the familiar sensation of her questing fingertips to retrieve a pair of shoes from a rack in his closet. Letting her continue would be a mistake, as well he knew. Genesis fully intended to get rid of the woman and spend the night out. So with that goal in mind, he explained the situation as briefly as possible.

"We're not talking about social engagements, Danita. She was given orders for a mission."

"Oh." After a pause, she queried, "Then what about tomorrow?"

"Unlikely. She and the other 2nd Classes left Midgar this afternoon. They won't be back for several days at the least. If you're set on meeting her, you'll have to inquire with whoever's in charge at the front desk for an appointment."

"Left the city? To go where?" Before he could answer, she added warily, "What- what do you mean 'inquire at the front desk'? You said _you'd_ handle the arrangements."

"I've changed my mind."

"But… _why_?"

"This- whatever we've been doing this past week- it's done, Danita. I'm headed out, and I expect you to be gone by the time I'm ready to leave."

"Gone?" she echoed in shock. Her next words hitched in her throat. "B-but I don't want to leave. I _love_ you."

When she tried to approach him, Genesis held her off. Almost on cue, the woman's façade crumbled. Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes and she held herself around the middle. He said nothing, searching through the contents atop his bureau for the cufflinks he wanted. The sooner he put himself together, the sooner he could put as much distance as possible between them.

Satisfied that he was presentable, he turned around. Danita had collapsed onto the bed and was now crying noisily. Genesis froze, not quite certain what to do. He'd never had to deal with this sort of thing before; one-night stands didn't involve the messy complication of _feelings_. This experiment was fast proving to be quite the disaster. Definitely not one he'd repeat anytime soon. Having learned that lesson, though, did not help with his current quandary of what to do with the woman.

"Danita." No answer. Just more incoherent sobbing. "Danita, you need to get control of yourself. You knew this wasn't going to last forever."

She only cried harder.

"You really have to go."

"But you said you loved me. I-I gave you _everything_ , and now you don't w-want me."

As her words ended in a pitiful wail of despair, Angeal's comments from Junon sprang to mind. He'd warned Genesis that fangirls like her might take him at his word. That one might actually mean it when she said she loved him. Danita's reaction convinced him that he should have heeded those words of caution this time. She obviously cared about him a great deal more than he cared for her.

 _So how do I get her to_ stop _?_

He sighed heavily and edged closer to the bed.

"Okay, it's not like that. It's just…" he thought of some reason that she might accept. "I have to focus on work. And I can't do that when you're demanding my attention every second of the day. Understand?"

Danita sniffed and wiped her tear-stained cheeks with the edge of the bedsheet. She tilted her head just enough that he could see the corner of her eye as she murmured, "I'll try harder, I promise. No calls. No texts."

"You'll call- you know you will."

"I won't! I know how important your career is to you. Please don't send me away!"

Genesis settled gingerly on the coverlet, frustrated that he was getting nowhere with her. Tactical mistake. Danita quickly wrapped her arms around him, clutching at his shirt as she buried her face in the hair at his nape. He didn't have time to protest before her hands had relaxed their hold, slid caressingly beneath his jacket. Damn but did that woman know just exactly where that feathery touch would have the greatest effect. Genesis bit back a groan as he felt his resolve weaken; Danita sensed that she was gaining the advantage.

"Can anyone else please you the way I do, my love? Am I not the best you've ever had?"

He wished he could say no. Wished that he could recall just one time. But he couldn't. Not a single one. And while he'd been searching for a single memory to contradict her, Danita had undone the buttons of his shirt. Genesis could no more stop her than he could cease breathing.

"Danita…"

* * *

I lingered in the doorway a moment, staring at Kunsel's retreating back. Not quite believing him. Wondering if I hadn't made a mistake yesterday. All of my reasons for deciding we were better off this way seemed infallible at the time; now they felt like excuses- and not very good ones at that.

 _Regardless…the decision_ is _made._

 _Could be unmade,_ a traitorous voice whispered in the back of my mind.

For one seemingly endless minute, I seriously considered it. Pros and cons tallied themselves on either side of the equation. In the end, though, the repercussions were just too great. It was a choice of no choices.

 _No,_ I replied with no small amount of regret. _No it can't._

Very likely I'd be repeating that self-lecture more than once during this mission. Not something I looked forward to. One bit. Thus, with an aggrieved sigh, I entered the hotel lobby and caught up with Kunsel at the far end of the room. His look was quizzical, but didn't ask about what kept me. We ascended the stairs, the only sounds our footfalls on the creaking boards. No sign of Zack or Luxiere at the top, so Kunsel and I parted company.

Despite the deplorable state of my room, I breathed a sigh of relief to be alone. I hadn't had a moment to myself all day, unless the half hour or so between leaving Headquarters and arriving at the airship platform counted. I didn't think it did. Most of it had passed in a blur as I'd rushed to gather everything I'd need for this mission. And for the hundredth time today, I cursed Angeal and Sephiroth both; they could have met with Zack and I first thing this morning. Couldn't think of a damned reason why they'd delay it to nearly noon.

 _No point in dwelling on that. You better get thinking about what you're going to do._

And for a few minutes, that's all I did. Think. Think about everything I'd seen thus far today, and- more importantly- about what was yet to come. Foremost on that list was an excuse to duck out of going to dinner. The simpler the better. And somewhat truthful, if I could manage it. I paced the worn rug thrown across the floor as I composed and discarded several ideas. Some of them might have convinced Zack and Luxiere, but would have left Kunsel asking too many questions. Well aware that time was running out, I glanced anxiously at the door to the hall.

An ache formed at my temples, a tell-tale sign that I was more than a little stressed out. My feet scuffed to a halt and I momentarily set all that aside to deal with the pain before it grew any more serious. Sure, I'd remembered to bring my medication this time, but I'd rather not need to use it. The stuff tended to make me drowsy and dulled my wits. I'd need those in peak condition when I met with the Mayor in the not too distant future. Deep, steady breathing and clearing my mind often helped; certainly worth a try.

Minutes passed, and the tension was just beginning to lessen when a loud knock at the door broke my concentration. Immediately following, I heard Zack's voice calling from the hall, "Lilith- you about ready?"

 _Not really._ I had only one remaining plan, and it was a weak one at that: plead exhaustion. Tell them that I was too tired. _I guess I'd better be convincing if I expect that to work._ Shouldn't be all that hard; I _was_ feeling wrung out and would gladly do with a few hours' rest. _Although perhaps 'gladly' is a bit of an exaggeration,_ I added with a disgruntled glare at the sagging mattress.

Long time before I would find myself there tonight. I could complain later. Right now, I crossed the room and pulled open the door. Zack's gaze swept over me- quick to notice that I hadn't changed out of my uniform. He raised a querying brow.

"Thought you said you wanted to wear something less conspicuous this evening. Did you change your mind, or…?"

"I was, but then I just-" I leaned against the door frame and exhaled wearily. "I think maybe I'd better just stay here. Get some rest, you know?"

From behind him, I could see Luxiere's impatient glare. Coming here had been my idea. The rest of them would have gone straight on to the pub in uniform if I hadn't said anything. So of course he was irked that I'd dragged him here for nothing. Not enough to give me grief about it, though. I was less confident when it came to Kunsel's troubled frown. He didn't buy the excuse, but if I was lucky, maybe he'd think that I wasn't keen on facing the dark alleys again- even in their company.

In the midst of those thoughts, I realized that Zack wasn't as content to leave me behind as I'd assumed.

"But…we can't just go without you."

"I'll be fine, Zack, really."

"What about food," he pointed out. "You should at least eat, even if you don't stay for drinks."

"I did a little better packing this time- brought something to tide me over in case there wasn't time to grab a meal."

A lie of course. Well, at least partly untrue. I _had_ come better prepared for this mission than the last one. Only none of what I brought had anything to do with food. They wouldn't know that, and I was sure it was the quickest way to dispel any arguments. Seemed to work on the whole. Zack wasn't exactly happy, but was pacified that I wouldn't starve to death. Luxiere didn't care much either way, so long as the matter was resolved quickly. Which left just one…

"Except there is time," Kunsel argued. "You can't be so tired that you'd forego real food for travel fare."

In the pause that followed, I could see the ghost of the question he couldn't bring himself to ask: _Are you doing this to avoid me?_ Admittedly, my reaction to his final comment downstairs was somewhat mixed, and could lead him to that conclusion. Wrong, oh absolutely and totally wrong. But I understood why it seemed a logical one from Kunsel's point of view. I just hoped my answer would ease his worry on that score.

"After that circus with the Press, I just want to be someplace quiet- away from people."

Silence again. Kunsel's expression was no less troubled, but he didn't press me any further. Might have been a different story if we'd been alone. Or perhaps just Zack, who could be trusted to be discreet. Luxiere, by contrast, was likely to blurt out anything that came into his head. His inability to govern his tongue was my saving grace, though I hated having to use my friends as weapons against one another.

"Well, if you're sure…" Zack hedged at last.

"I'll be fine. Really."

"Is there anything we could bring back for you?"

"Thanks, but no." Didn't want them coming back here too early and find me gone. "I'm going to eat and pass out. You guys have a good time, though."

"Don't worry," Luxiere assured me as he headed for the stairs. "We will."

The other two fell in step behind him, Kunsel the last to descend. He looked over his shoulder as his foot hovered over the first stair, and I thought he might say something. Then he turned away and was swallowed by the shadows. As soon as I was certain they'd left the hotel, I sprang into action. Unzipped the knapsack on my bed and rifled through its contents to find what I was looking for. When I located the right bundle, I lifted it carefully and set it on the tattered blanket covering the bed.

"Okay, here goes," I murmured to myself as I unwrapped the parcel.

Four glowing orbs the size of tennis balls nestled in their protective case. Materia. I'd slipped into the storage room at Headquarters and 'borrowed' a few I thought I'd need to complete this mission. A good thing, too, since I could hardly afford the exorbitant prices to _buy_ it here in Junon. For all but one, the shops here didn't sell what I needed, anyway. I just hoped that if anyone noticed that these had gone missing, no one would tie it back to me somehow.

Worries for another day. I focused my attention on the task. The spheres pulsed and seemed to hum with life-energy. An answering beat echoed softly in my veins. Happened every time. I'd asked fellow SOLDIERs about it, but as far as I could tell, none of them heard anything. To them, Materia was merely a tool. A quirk of matter and energy that allowed them to perform magic effortlessly.

I couldn't help believing that they were something much more. On impulse, I let my fingertips glide over their concave surfaces. From within, restless power strained towards that contact- almost quasi-sentient in its desire to be released. I jerked back, startled.

 _No time to play around. Get dressed and get where you need to be._

I returned my attention to the knapsack, looking for an outfit befitting tonight's planned activity. My fingers brushed against a gauzy layer of fabric and I knew I'd found what I was seeking. I closed my grasp and withdrew the garment. A burgundy dress I'd bought years ago. Only wore it once; since then, it had languished in my closet. Mostly forgotten. Time to put it to good use.

 _First things first- might as well shower off the grime of the day._ I grabbed a towel and the essentials and then scurried down the hall to the shared bathroom. The switch on the wall resisted when I tried to turn on the light, but eventually gave way to pressure. When the overhead fixture responded with an uncertain stutter, I almost wished I'd left the room in the dark. Disgust rose at the back of my throat at the thought of showering in the mildew-ridden tub. Couldn't even force myself to step foot in the room, backing into the hall.

 _Oh hell no. I'll endure the shoddy bedroom, but I will not-_ will not _\- endure this._ I retreated to my room and added irritably, _I'll just have to make do with perfume tonight. But you can bet tomorrow I'll be having words with the hotel manager._

* * *

They stepped out into the gloom of the alley, but Kunsel couldn't stop himself from glancing over his shoulder- up to the window on the sixth floor. As if he could see through the building exterior into Lilith's room. He didn't feel entirely easy that they'd agreed to leave her behind. Couldn't entirely trust how swiftly she'd changed her mind. Especially after what she'd said just before they'd entered the hotel.

On the other hand, not having her with them meant a reprieve. A few hours where he wasn't guarding himself against testing Lilith's resolve- not to mention his own- about remaining just friends. When he'd asked about her feelings yesterday, Lilith's reply hadn't been the definitive negative that he'd expected. Kunsel was certain in that moment that he might've even persuaded her to change her mind with the right approach. A temptation difficult to resist. Then and now. Fighting against it was a constant, exhausting battle.

For good or bad, though, she was staying here. Kunsel turned back to his friends and caught up with them. The alley opened up to a mostly deserted main street. Looking right and left, he noted that every storefront window was dark. Had the hour been much later, he might not have thought it unusual. But the sun had only set a short time ago. So why had the shop keepers closed their businesses so early?

Kunsel had no answer to that question. Nothing except an uneasy feeling that stayed with him as Zack led them into a more populated section of the city. They passed more than one establishment geared towards food, but their friend showed no signs of stopping at any of them. He might have found it amusing to watch Luxiere's growing impatience if he wasn't just as hungry. _Okay, Zack, where in the hell are you taking us?_

A question that Luxiere was also keen to have answered.

"Hey- just where're we going?"

"Not much further- around this next corner."

Sure enough, a squat, half-timbered building appeared- sign proclaiming it to be the Kettlewood. It seemed at odds with the towering brick structures on either side, like a stubborn younger sibling caught between its older brothers. They leaned in conspiratorially, plotting how to rid themselves of the offending intrusion on their block. As for the pub itself, it cared little whether its neighbors appreciated it or not. Junon's inhabitants didn't care, either; lots of boisterous voices floated out from the open door.

Luxiere shot them an eager look and urged, "Well, are we going in or what?"

"After you, friend."

Inside, the noise level increased dramatically. And small wonder, given that people were packed into the place from wall to wall. No one paid them any mind, aside from a few curious glances from the nearest tables. Quickly dismissed with an indifference Kunsel knew wouldn't be there if they'd still been in uniform. He saw no other SOLDIERs among the bar's patrons. Whether that was by design or not he couldn't say, but he was more than happy to be spared the experience of finding out. All he wanted to do was spend a few hours not thinking of anything related to Shinra or their mission.

 _And since Lilith_ isn't _here, maybe try not to think about her, either._

They claimed an empty table for themselves and waited for one of the barmaids to take their order. In no time at all, a curvy young brunette swept over, pulling out a pen from her apron. She tipped a wink and smiled.

"Evening to you, gents. Name's Vestra- what'll it be?"

The three of them shared an indecisive glance before Luxiere answered invitingly, "What would you recommend?"

"Kitchen's running a special on a lamb stew with biscuits. It's been a fast sell all evening. But if that's not to your fancy, could try the beef roast."

Kunsel was rather surprised that the pub wasn't serving anything with fish. Cattle and sheep were expensive commodities to ship this far to the coast. He wondered why a place like this wouldn't stick to local, more affordable goods.

"Whatever happened to the clam chowder," Zack asked, interrupting his train of thought. "Used to be the best around."

The waitress frowned and shook her head.

"Sorry, sir. We haven't had that in months. Not since before…" she hesitated and finger-combed her curly locks hastily. "Well, you know."

The Leviathan attacks, naturally. But they'd taken care of the beast weeks ago, so why hadn't the pub been able to restock by now? Since he'd stepped off the airship, nothing in Junon made sense. He couldn't put his finger on why, but the whole city felt…off. Nothing glaringly obvious. Just little things like this. Curious, Kunsel threw in his opinion, just to see what Vestra would say.

"I guess pickings are still a bit scarce in the harbor. Maybe a few more weeks and the chowder can see its way back on the menu, yeah?"

An odd, almost apprehensive, look flashed in her eyes as she laughed nervously. And then the moment passed. Vestra bluffed at a smile and tried to make a joke.

"Well, seein' as though you and your friend seem so partial to it, I hope so." She winked again. "Wouldn't want to lose the patronage of such fine gentlemen, now would we?"

To emphasize her point, Vestra leaned over to rest her elbows on the table top. Offering quite the view of her cleavage. A ploy designed to redirect their attention and change the subject. Thankfully, one directed mostly at Zack. Kunsel wasn't in the mood to deal with any sort of female attention- even casual flirting. To his credit, his friend returned the woman's smile, and yet left her with an impression of good-natured affability rather than interest. Luxiere, by contrast, all but held up a sign that if she was of a mind to make _his_ night more interesting, he'd gladly oblige.

 _Wonder how much of his interest is in the woman…and how much has more to do with not spending the night in that wretched hotel?_

"They can wait all they want for chowder. I'm not quite so picky," Luxiere informed her with an affable grin. "So I'd be content with whatever fare's available. And a decent ale to go with it, if you please."

"Anything you want, honey." She took down the order and then gazed questioningly at Kunsel and Zack. "What about you two?"

"Lamb sounds fine. The ale, too."

"I'll have the same," Kunsel replied.

"I'll get those drinks right away. Stew should be out in ten minutes or so."

And with that, Vestra scurried off to the high top bar dominating the back wall of the pub. Luxiere watched her go with a wistful sigh, and then turned his attention to them.

"Well," he beamed cheerfully. "That's one important matter of business seen to. And maybe…"

He didn't even complete the thought before Zack shot it down in a no-nonsense tone.

"Lux- no."

"Oh c'mon!"

"We're on a mission."

"So? I didn't see anything in that schedule that said we had to be anywhere tonight."

"Tomorrow's going to be a long day, though. It'd be for the best if we all stay at the hotel tonight. _Alone,_ " Zack emphasized.

"Don't recall _you_ being the mission leader to be giving us orders."

"Lilith would agree with me."

Their young friend might have argued, but just then, the waitress returned with the ale. Vestra must have caught their change in mood, because she didn't linger once she'd set them on the table. Luxiere crossed his arms and glowered, muttering half under his breath while he drained the tankard in a few generous swallows. The sulky attitude must have irked Zack enough to say something.

"What was that?"

Luxiere didn't look up, but he repeated his words loudly enough to be heard over the din of the pub.

"You can't know that for sure."

"Look, we all discussed the mission itinerary on the flight here. You saw everything we're here to do. As did Lilith. She'd be the first to say that we shouldn't stray from the plan."

"Yeah? Well I'm pretty sure whatever the Mayor asked her to do this afternoon wasn't on 'the plan'. Lilith still agreed to do it."

Awful silence settled over their table as those words sunk in. Kunsel wasn't sure if Luxiere meant them the way they sounded, but the words drove an icy spike of dread into his gut nonetheless. Settled there like a lead weight and left him reeling. Zack fared a little better. Enough to recover and forge ahead with getting an explanation from their friend.

"Asked her when?"

"On the pier. While you were playing twenty questions with those reporters. I couldn't hear all of it, but he wanted her to do _something._ "

"And?"

"And what?"

"What did Lilith say?"

Luxiere shrugged indifferently.

"Far as I can tell, she agreed. Didn't look happy about it, though."

His answers, when added to Lilith's peculiar behavior earlier, gave Kunsel a full picture of the situation. He'd known something wasn't right. Just couldn't form any concrete conclusions about what it was.

 _No, you reached a conclusion. It was just the wrong one._

He wouldn't have, if Luxiere had brought this up on the pier. When he _should_ have. Kunsel's eyes narrowed at his friend as he laid into him for the oversight.

"Just when were you thinking to mention this to the rest of us, Lux!?"

"What for? It's probably some boring, last minute meeting. If Lilith wants to give up more of her time for that PR bullshit, I say let her. Just so long as we're not expected to go, too."

He counted to ten. Restarted. Counted a third time. In total, Kunsel ran through it a half dozen times before he could trust he wouldn't strangle the man. Even so, he was still annoyed enough to lean across the table, boxing Luxiere upside the head.

"Hey!" Luxiere protested. "What was _that_ for!?"

"For being an idiot." After a pause, Kunsel continued. "You see this conversation, and then Lilith decides to stay behind at the hotel. Didn't for a minute think that those two events might be at all related?"

"Well, I…"

"And now it's been well over a half hour since we left. What do you think the chances are that we can stop her?"

"Stop her from what?"

Kunsel got up from the table without answering the question. He spared only the briefest look at Zack, who had already guessed his intentions. And while an explanation wasn't exactly needed, he did give his friend the opportunity to voice his opinion.

"Unless you think you'd have better luck," Kunsel offered by way of a half-suggestion.

Zack shook his head, expression grim.

"No, you'd better."

Nothing else needed to be said. He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and put it on, prompting Luxiere to ask, "Where's _he_ going?"

"Where do you think I'm going, Lux? Back to the hotel where I _pray_ Lilith is at this moment."

"But…the food."

Kunsel didn't even dignify that with a response, and turned away. Those two could explain to the waitress- or not, for all he cared. Gil wasted on an uneaten meal was the least of their worries right now.

 _A private request from the Mayor and she didn't say a word about it to any of us._

If it had been as straightforward as a last minute meeting for _official_ mission business, Lilith would have briefed them about it. Meaning the request was _personal_. At best, an invitation to dine with the Mayor in the city; at worst, to meet more privately to have sex. Why would Lilith have agreed to either? One of several questions Kunsel intended to ask her if by some miracle he managed to get to the hotel before she'd left. And by damn, she was going to answer.

Walking at a fast clip, he arrived at the alley entrance a mere ten minutes later. Nearly turned the corner when he heard footsteps echoing off the monolithic walls of granite that flanked the narrow passage. A sixth sense prickled at the nape of his neck, cautioning him to hang back- wait to see who was coming this way. Kunsel side-stepped into a niche between two large crates, effectively concealed to all but the most vigilant observer.

The footsteps grew louder, more distinct. Not the dull ring of boots, but more like the sharp staccato of…Kunsel didn't finish that thought, for a figure emerged out of the shadows. The lamplight shone down like a spotlight, giving him a clear view of the woman now standing just a few yards away. Unaware that she wasn't alone as her gaze fixed on some imaginary, distant point down the street.

Kunsel, meanwhile, took mental note of everything about her. Burgundy silk that floated subtly on the listless evening breeze; the crisscross pattern of slender straps contrasting against bared skin. She'd pinned most of her hair up, but left curling tendrils loose to frame her face. Even from this angle, he could see the smoky tones of eyeshadow and that she was wearing lipstick. Lastly, two-inch stiletto heels drew his notice- silent now as she continued to contemplate her next move.

 _I wouldn't call this getting some rest, Lilith,_ Kunsel thought darkly. _Not by a long shot._

She'd lied to all of them. But as angry as he was about that, he was still more furious at her for what she was planning to do. Back at Shinra, other female SOLDIERs saw nothing wrong in trading sex if they thought it'd help their career along. Lilith had always been strongly opposed to the idea- had always said that it was cheap and unworthy because they didn't really earn their promotions. And yet here she was, playing the same game. The hypocrisy of it all.

Anger mingled with bitter disappointment. He'd thought her to be better than this.

 _So what do I do now?_ He could confront her. Easy enough when it was just the two of them. Maybe he could convince her not to go. And then he thought better of it in favor of an altogether different plan. _Or maybe I let her meet the Mayor. See for myself what this is_ really _about._

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_** _So this chapter is long overdue, I know. And I want to thank the encouragement from my Readers to get it published. Hopefully, I won't see such a long break between this and the next chapter. Anyway, enjoy!_ ** _  
_**


	20. Chapter 20: The Masquerade

_**Author's Note: Some amorous activities ahead. Readers beware.**_

* * *

"Genesis understood we were meeting tonight, didn't he?"

Sephiroth glanced up from the latest report from Costa del Sol, but didn't reply. Nothing but bad news there. The coastal town's tourism industry was suffering, given the rash of unexplained disappearances in the vicinity. Just like Banora and the others. Someone or some _thing_ was preying on any vessel caught alone.

And as of yet, no one had been able to provide a description. Encounters never left any survivors to bear witness to the mysterious terror. Which was all the more frustrating to Sephiroth. He was accustomed to a straight-forward opponent in battle. The sort of enemy that attacked openly and left a clear path to follow. Planning an offensive against so many unknowns was a labyrinth of dead ends.

 _All the more reason to hope Lilith returns with useful intelligence from Junon._

"Sephiroth?"

"Apologies- was your question not rhetorical?" When Angeal glared at him reprovingly, Sephiroth sighed. "I think it's safe to assume that our friend will not be joining us."

The fierce expression faded, leaving behind uneasy frustration. And for some time, he did not reply. Instead, the man reached for a manila folder peeking from beneath a stack of duty rosters and training schedules that had been sitting atop his filing cabinet. The mission dossier that Lilith had wisely left behind. Cautiously, Angeal pulled the folder and flipped it open.

Sephiroth continued to read the report from Costa del Sol, making annotations on the legal pad beside it as he found something worth looking into. Anything that might suggest a pattern he could work with. Very little of that. He was just finishing when Angeal voiced a concern.

"You don't think he'll expose what we've been doing to Lazard, do you?"

"No," Sephiroth answered after a short pause. "It'll mean just as much trouble for him in the end. Annoying us is one thing; risking his career is quite another."

"So where is he, then?"

"Presumably back at his apartment by now, indulging himself with that woman from Junon."

"Danita," Angeal supplied flatly, obviously in no better mood about the news since he received it this morning. "She's going to be trouble, I just know it."

"And just like I asked earlier- just what do you expect to do about her?"

"If she could be convinced to return to Junon…"

"You're welcome to try, but I doubt you'll get very far. The woman will stay until Genesis tires of her. I highly doubt our friend intends to make anything serious of it."

Angeal was less than convinced. He crossed his arms and stared hard at the darkening skies outside the office window.

"The way I see it, that may not be up to Genesis."

"What," Sephiroth scoffed. "You think the woman will _force_ him to stay with her?"

"Force isn't the word I had in mind, exactly, but I can see her manipulating him into a situation where he's stuck with her."

"If you're talking about a pregnancy, I don't see Danita as the type to spoil her looks. Nor do I see Genesis being stupid enough to give her the chance to try."

After a long silence, his friend muttered, "I still don't like it."

"Nor I, but if we could, I'd like to focus on a more pressing topic." Sephiroth gestured to the reports. "Namely, what we're going to do about all _this_."

Angeal turned away from the window, an apologetic grimace tightening at the corners of his mouth. He stashed the mission dossier in one of the cabinet drawers and nodded.

"Right- sorry. Find anything useful?"

"Wish I could say I did- but it's all the same as before. Boats disappear, crew and all. All sizes. No witnesses and no survivors."

"It's a pattern, if nothing else."

"Emphasis on the 'nothing else' of that statement."

With disgust, Sephiroth threw down the pen and rose to his feet. An uncharacteristic show of temper, to be sure. Something he'd _never_ do outside of this office- or when anyone but his two friends was present. Even then, he usually managed to maintain command of himself. But everything to do with this Leviathan business just got under his skin. Angeal made no comment, merely watching as Sephiroth paced the perimeter of the cramped room.

"Three days cannot pass quickly enough," Sephiroth declared vehemently. "Then we'll finally have something to make _sense_ of all this."

At that, is friend raised an eyebrow before observing quietly, "You seem confident that Lilith will bring back useful information about the matter. She may come up empty- handed."

He could not discount the possibility, however unlikely it might be. But his instincts told him that dwelling on that would be a pointless waste of his time. Junon was the missing piece- and Lilith would find it as she'd sworn to do. The drive he'd observed in the days following the Leviathan mission would compel her to take any action necessary to complete this assignment. No, she would never accept failure. _That's_ where Sephiroth placed his confidence.

"She won't."

Angeal did not argue.

"And suppose she _does_ succeed…just what are you expecting her to find, Sephiroth?"

"Expecting? That I don't know. What I'm hoping is that she won't tell us what I've suspected these past few weeks."

"Which is?"

He debated at length whether to utter the words aloud or not. No one remained on this floor at this hour, except for a few 3rd Classes on watch. None of them would be close enough to overhear the conversation. But that didn't mean no one was listening. Shinra could have ears anywhere- anytime. And just because their previous meetings hadn't been under surveillance, that didn't guarantee this one wasn't.

 _Discussing reports from abroad is one thing; suggesting that Shinra might be behind the attacks is quite another._

In the end, he opted in favor of discretion.

"That knowing the face of our enemy will not bring us any closer to defeating it."

* * *

The indigo dress shirt lie rumpled on the hardwood floor, entirely forgotten. Scattered nearby were rumpled piles of discarded clothes. The bed was a picture of disarray- burgundy counterpane trailing over the side, displaced by the couple's amorous activities. Outside the window the twilight of dusk deepened into night, unnoticed; inside, the two lovers were intent on one another. An hour- perhaps two- passed, until their passions had been thoroughly sated.

In the silence after, recriminations awakened.

Genesis turned onto his back to stare up at the ceiling, wondering how he'd let this happen. He'd been so determined to send Danita away only a few short hours ago. And yet here he was, in bed with her. Unable to get enough. Even as exhausted as he was right now…he wanted her. Would willingly lose himself in her again if she asked it of him.

Danita stroked a hand over his shoulder and down his chest, giving him the impression that she just might. Genesis' breath hitched in his throat as desire throbbed through him. The hand moved lower; he tensed in anticipation. And then just as she grazed the crease his hip her fingertips stilled, though they didn't withdraw. It took Genesis several seconds to surface from the sensual haze of her caress to realize she'd asked him a question.

"What was that?"

"You said earlier that Lilith was sent away on a mission- I was just wondering where she went."

An odd subject to bring up while in bed. Most women tended not to discuss their competition- real or imagined. But for Danita's part, she didn't seem at all threatened by Lilith as competition for his attention. He supposed she thought his rancor for the woman meant he had no interest in sleeping with her. In his experience, the two ideas were not mutually exclusive. Genesis hadn't quite given up on his quest to finish what he started in the nightclub. Even if it took him years.

 _One day. She won't hold out forever. One day she'll give in._

"Genesis?"

Her tone conveyed worry, and a hint of irritation. He flashed a grin at her.

"Forgive me, darling. I had quite forgotten about _her_ ," he lied. "Why would I want to think of another woman when I have you here?"

The compliment pleased her, as he knew it would. She trailed her fingertips along his inner thigh and purred, "Well, when you put it that way…" Genesis' eyes drifted closed. In his ear he heard her whisper against his ear, "Is there anything I can do to help you remember?"

He sucked in a breath, unable to answer. Or think. For a few moments, his words were more than clever flattery. Only when she drew her hand up to his chest could Genesis recall- with difficulty- the question she'd asked. The effort of forming a reply left him with concentration enough for just one word.

"Junon."

"What about it?"

"That's where she went. Junon."

Danita froze, her whole body tensed beside him. If he'd been more alert, he might have wondered what about that would distress her. But then the moment passed and she relaxed against him again. Over so quickly that Genesis thought he might have imagined it.

"Why Junon," she queried in soft tones that bespoke mild curiosity.

Genesis knew he shouldn't tell her; it was Shinra business, after all. But his own annoyance with his friends for dumping this unpleasant situation on him got the better of wisdom. _Besides, she's just a fangirl- who cares if she knows who gave those orders? Not like it'll jeopardize the mission._

"Sephiroth and Angeal sent her and the other 2nd Classes- probably to dig around about the Leviathan."

"But- but it's dead."

"Maybe."

"But it _is_. You yourself helped destroy the monster."

"And somewhere out there are the people responsible for creating it. They could try again- maybe already have, actually." He wrapped a hand around hers and squeezed it lightly. "I don't know what you've heard, but people have been disappearing. My own hometown has been hit hard. We're sure it's the work of the same group."

"How _awful_ ," Danita murmured. "You must be so worried for your family."

"I am, actually."

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Genesis brushed his thumb across her knuckles absently, trying not to think about the dire situation in Banora. And then suddenly, Danita pulled away from him. She rolled away and rose from the bed without a word of explanation. He swept a hand over the empty space beside him and shifted to his side. Propped up on an elbow, he watched her hurry across the bedroom.

"Danita, where are you going?"

A moment of panic struck him as he pictured her leaving. _Not now. I don't want to be alone with myself._ All the reasons why he wanted to cast her out paled in comparison to the thought of spending the night alone with thoughts of how he was failing his family. She offered a convenient distraction from all of it; Genesis needed that distraction more than he wanted to admit.

She turned back, a teasing smile on her lips. But then she must have caught his stricken expression, and grew serious again.

"I would _never_ think of leaving you, my love," Danita assured him earnestly.

Relief washed over him. Genesis extended an arm and motioned for her to come to him, "Then come back to bed."

"In a moment, "Danita promised. "I wanted to surprise you with a gift earlier, but I think now might be the perfect time. It's in the other room, though, so I have to go fetch it."

"A gift? For me?"

She blew him a kiss. "All for you. I'll be right back."

With that, Danita breezed through the door to the hall, leaving him with a bemused expression and the sight of the enticing sway of her hips. Genesis leaned back against the pillows and waited for her return, wondering what she might have gotten for him.

Minutes passed. Many more than he would have expected, and alarm pressed at the edges of his mind. But just when he'd resolved to get up to look for her, Danita appeared in the doorway. She held one hand behind her back. Presumably, the one holding his present.

"Did you miss me," she asked coyly.

Genesis did not answer, but he did beckon her to his side. Danita lingered just inside the room, seemingly in no hurry to join him at first. The idea to keep him in suspense was not strong enough to overpower her desire, however, and she approached the bed. When she drew close enough, Genesis reached out to wrap an arm around her waist so he could draw her next to him. And yet somehow she managed to keep his gift hidden. He leaned over, trapping her beneath his body.

"You owe me a present," he reminded her in a silken whisper. "I think it's time you let me see it."

A hand appeared before his eyes. In it, not the sentimental trinket he'd been expecting. An apple balanced in the cradle of her palm. Even in the dim light of the bedside lamp, its skin retained a deep cobalt hue. A Banora apple.

"How…where…?"

"I have friends with ties to Banora. They were happy to do me a favor and sent me a few of these from the most recent harvest."

He still couldn't believe it. How long had it been since he last saw one? Such a small thing, but it was home- a symbol of the days of his youth and happier memories. Almost reverently, Genesis took the fruit in his own hand, staring at it so intently that he nearly forgot Danita was still there.

"Do you like it, my love," she prompted eagerly.

He tore his gaze away from the apple, and very carefully set it aside on the nightstand.

"It's wonderful."

"I'm so happy to hear that. I just thought with everything going on lately that you might like a reminder of home."

It was a thoughtful gift- far more perceptive than he'd believed her of being. The gift of someone who truly cared about him. Genesis felt a twinge of guilt that he'd behaved so coldly to her earlier. At the time, he'd told himself that he was justified. She was interfering with his career and causing issues. In reality, it wasn't her fault. Angeal and Sephiroth were the ones determined to make things difficult for him. But since he couldn't do anything about _them_ , he'd just shifted the blame onto a target that he could hurt. It hadn't been right.

"I'm so sorry, Danita," he murmured in apology. "For earlier. I never meant…"

"Shhh," she quieted him. "I forgive you, my love. You weren't yourself. I know that." After a pause, she queried, "What made you so angry- something at Shinra?"

"You could say that."

"A difficult mission?"

"No. This is…personal. A disagreement between me and the other 1st Classes that they just won't let go."

"But they're supposed to be your _friends_."

"So I thought, too."

The words slipped out before Genesis could keep them in. They hung it the air between them, and sounded bitter even to his own ears. Danita must have noticed as well, studying him in the uncomfortable silence that followed. Her expression softened to something akin to sympathy.

"I should have known something was wrong when you weren't answering my texts earlier. And then to throw a fit as soon as you came in- how thoughtless of me." She cocked her head slightly to the side and prodded cautiously, "Why were they being so difficult?"

"It's nothing. Not important."

Danita sifted her fingers through his hair as she glanced up at him through her lashes.

"Not important to who? Maybe to your _friends_ , but they're not me, my love. Everything about you is important to me. I want to know everything about your life- especially if it's upset you. I want to help."

The words were a balm to Genesis' frayed temper. Here was someone who wanted to hear his side. Hell, who was _on_ his side at all. Sephiroth and Angeal weren't given this morning's meeting, and the rest of SOLDIER was even more set against him.

 _So why am I so eager to dispose of someone who agrees with me?_ All of the reasons he'd given himself earlier seemed shallow and trivial. Danita wasn't aggravating- just a bit high-strung at times. Genesis could appreciate passion when something mattered. And when that something included himself…

"You really do, don't you?"

She nodded sincerely and moved even closer. "Of course."

"Well then…what say we order in a late dinner and I'll tell you all about it."

"Whatever you want, sweetie. And after…" she smiled wickedly. "Well, I'll be more than happy to make you forget all about them."

* * *

Kunsel dogged Lilith's steps, always maintaining a fair distance between them. Far enough that if she changed direction or looked behind she wouldn't see him, and yet not so far that she might lose him in the crowd. The latter became less and less of a concern the longer he followed her; they'd traded the lively streets of the entertainment district for the relatively deserted business quarter. Kunsel hugged the shadows painted onto the building facades and kept his footsteps as silent as possible.

 _Just what are you doing, Lilith,_ he asked himself for the hundredth time. _This isn't exactly where I'd have pictured the Mayor to want to meet you, so what are you up to?_

A vibration at his hip startled him enough that Kunsel slammed to a stop and ducked behind a steel column. As his hand reached into his pocket to silence the phone, his ears strained for signs that Lilith had heard anything. At first, the blood pounding in tandem with his heart made it difficult to hear anything. In the precious seconds it took to relax, he expected to be caught. Lucky for him, though, Lilith hadn't slowed or turned around. Her footsteps still echoed in the distance, growing fainter.

With a furtive motion, Kunsel slipped his phone from his pocket and woke the display screen. Even from the relative safety of his hiding place, he was careful not to let its glow escape beyond the protective shield of his jacket. Or look for too long. Just enough to see that Zack had sent him a text asking about Lilith. Kunsel put the device away without answering.

 _Until I've got more answers, little point in giving an update._

He peered around the column to get his bearings. Lilith had gone a ways up the street and looked to be making a left around the next block. Kunsel hurried along the frontage of a few offices, doorsteps blanketed in almost total blackness beneath ornate porticos. The sparsely placed streetlights struggled to keep even the sidewalk completely illuminated; here and there, stretches of pavement disappeared into the darkness of night. Kunsel watched as Lilith passed through one of them, alert for any signs that she might suffer a relapse of the panic he'd seen earlier.

If she was bothered by them, she didn't show it. She never hesitated or altered course. How much willpower did it take, Kunsel wondered, given what she'd told him. Growing up in the slums of Midgar. Knowing that now gave him a better understanding about why she acted the way she did. Not to mention how she _reacted_. He wished he'd known from the beginning, but could understand why Lilith wouldn't have wanted to discuss it. Surviving in the slums was an ugly business; he might want to forget that life, too, if it had been him.

Those thoughts left him distracted, and he nearly tripped over an oversized urn as a result. It wobbled precariously but didn't tip over. Kunsel bit back a virulent curse or two; sound would echo off the walls and give him away easily.

Despite the mishap, Kunsel caught up in time to see Lilith standing motionless outside the town hall. She looked neither right nor left, and after a minute or two, leaned forward to press the lighted buzzer beside the door. He was too far away to hear whether or not it rang. Unlike the rest of the street this section was well-lit, leaving no hiding places for him to exploit. Kunsel made do with a low-lying decorative banister courtesy of its neighbor. Still, that put him almost a half-block away. Not great for eavesdropping- especially with the wind not in his favor.

The door opened and the Mayor stepped out to meet Lilith on the sidewalk. Kunsel stiffened as the portly man laid a hand on her bared shoulder and let it glide down to her elbow. She didn't insist he remove it, or move away. In fact, Kunsel heard her encouraging laugh as she trailed her own fingertips along the lapel of the man's jacket.

The message was clear, even at this distance. The Mayor lost no time in acting upon the unspoken invitation. His arm snaked around Lilith to place a hand against her lower back and he leaned over to make a suggestion Kunsel was grateful to be spared hearing. But even without words he could tell that the old goat was eager to escort Lilith someplace private. A long, black car pulled up to the curb. And while he took a half-step towards it, she didn't budge. Instead, she gestured to the building behind them. Kunsel couldn't make out her reply; her head was turned away.

The Mayor looked as though he might argue, but abruptly stopped when Lilith's hand drifted…lower. And although at his angle he couldn't see anything, Kunsel turned his gaze aside, unable to watch. Anger and disappointment rose as bile in the back of his throat, bitter and acidic.

 _You won't explore the tiniest chance_ we _may have something together- you turn down Genesis' offer and make all of our lives hell for_ weeks _\- and yet you'll throw yourself at_ him _!?_

By the time he'd returned his focus to Lilith, the Mayor was waving off the car. Which presented Kunsel with a difficult choice to make as the tail lights faded in the distance. He could leave right now. Just turn around and go back to the pub to join his friends- or back to their hotel. And if Lilith had gotten into that car, he would have had no alternative. But she hadn't. He could keep going. Follow her inside and keep to his mission to discover what she intended to do.

 _It's more than obvious what she intends to do- so why torture myself by watching,_ he told himself _. She obviously knows what she's doing._

 _But suppose she doesn't? Suppose things turn ugly- can you live with knowing you abandoned her here?_

 _She didn't ask for my help. Did everything she could to_ avoid _it, in point of fact._

 _Does that really change your answer to the question?_

No, it didn't. Couldn't. Never would.

With a reluctant sigh, Kunsel eased around the banister and crept along the building front, feeling extremely exposed. The grey stone did little to camouflage him from any potential onlooker. In his head, he prayed that the Mayor and Lilith would be too focused on one another to notice his approach.

His luck held. The Mayor held open the door to allow her entry to the warren of offices inside. Neither paid attention to the fact that a third person had slipped through the door before it snicked closed behind them. The darkness shrouding the formal lobby further concealed his presence- the only light emanating from two lamps flanking the door on the opposite end of the room. Even those had been turned down to the lowest setting. Kunsel melded with the shadows, watching the scene before him. Watching and waiting.

* * *

Well, so far so good. I'd convinced the Mayor to return to his office over his suggestion to spend the evening at his private residence. I thanked the use of the Manipulate Materia for that. Perhaps I could have done it alone, but I hadn't wanted to take the chance. This could be my only shot. I couldn't afford to waste it.

 _So let's get on with this, shall we?_

I feigned an air of giddy excitement and whispered, "It's so quiet in here. Like sneaking into a school after it's closed."

The Mayor smiled indulgently at me, as I expected he would. Like I was some naïve ingénue and he was the sophisticated man who would have the pleasure in teaching me the ways of the world. As I was sure he'd done with many other young women. _How many of them regretted that introduction_ , I wondered absently.

"I wouldn't have thought you the type, my dear," he replied with a chuckle. "What a delightful surprise you've turned out to be."

I wasn't. Not at all. But I had a mission to complete, and it was time to put to use skills I'd never thought I'd have to use again. Skills that were a little rusty from disuse, but I still knew how to play this game. Knew the words that would pique his interest, although the very thought of saying them made me nauseous. I swallowed it back and did it, anyway.

"I think you'll find I'm a woman of many surprises, sir."

"Gerald," the Mayor insisted warmly. "I would prefer it if you called me Gerald."

"Of course," I demurred, letting my eyelashes flutter down in a show of deference; the blush was harder to fake. "Gerald."

"Much better, my dear. Now, I think I know the perfect place to amuse ourselves with these surprises you mentioned. Shall we adjourn to my office?"

"By all means." _Though I highly doubt you're going to find them all that amusing once we get there,_ I finished silently.

The Mayor- _Gerald_ , my thoughts interjected- gestured to the doors leading deeper in to the administrative building. I let him usher us towards the corridor beyond, trying not to cringe at the feel of his sweaty palm pressing against my lower back. Or at the fingers slipping beneath the edge of my dress. _For the good of the mission,_ I told myself.

To distract myself from the overwhelming desire to break every bone in the man's arm, I cast my gaze around the lobby one final time. And maybe it was just shades of paranoia, but I swore I saw movement off to my left. Just out of the corner of my eye. A dark shape that seemed at odds with the furnishings of the room. Didn't belong there. And then it was gone again.

 _Keep it together, Lilith. This isn't the time to be jumping at shadows._

The hallway was even darker than the lobby, the only light anemic patches of moonlight spilling in from the open doors of empty offices on our right. The walk felt much longer than it had when I'd come here this afternoon with the guys. A tiny part of me almost wished that I could have told at least _one_ of them where I was going tonight. But who could I have told? Certainly not Luxiere and not Zack. Maybe if things weren't…complicated…with Kunsel, I might have told him. No doubt none of them would approve of this.

We arrived at the outer office of the Mayor's suite. Gerald, unaware that he was playing right into my plans, strode across the parquet floor to unlock the doors leading to the private rooms that had been off-limits in my previous visit. The urge to abandon my subterfuge and get what I came for pulled at me. But it wasn't quite the right moment yet. Not if I wanted to leave without him being the wiser. So I remained where I stood near the hall, giving him the impression that I was obediently waiting for his invitation to join him. Let him think _he_ was in control as long as it suited my purpose.

The approach worked. Gerald hastened back to my side as quickly as his ungainly bulk allowed, barely concealing an eager leer. I pretended not to notice, letting him snake a possessive arm around my waist. Well, not quite _around_ ; Gerald's stockiness prevented him from reaching more than halfway. Still repulsive.

We entered his private domain. A large desk of antique hardwood dominated one end of the room. The long wall featured an impressive bookshelf- books and objet d'art from floor to ceiling. Along the other, an expensive sofa of chocolate-colored leather with a matching armchair. From beneath an intricately designed stained glass lampshade, a single bulb bathed the room in a soft multi-hued glow.

All this I took in with a quick sweep of my eyes. Once I used the Materia I brought, I'd only have a few hours to search for whatever the Mayor might know about the Leviathan before it wore off. Best to get my bearings first so I didn't waste any time later. Gerald came up beside me just as I finished my assessment. To my surprise, he left the doors to the outer office open. He must have caught the direction of my gaze and chuckled patronizingly.

"Have no fear, my dear. The building is deserted at this hour. We shan't be interrupted by anyone."

 _Meaning there's no one to help me if I've changed my mind._ I wasn't thinking of myself, but of the other women who had been lured here before me. _I wonder if he ever intended to leave the building at all._

I said none of that aloud. Rather, I returned the Mayor's smile with one of my own and forced myself to croon invitingly, "What a shame. An audience can add an element of _excitement_ , don't you agree?"

He most certainly did, judging by the lecherous light that burned in his eyes.

"Had I known…well, what's done is done." After a thoughtful pause, Gerald suggested, "I could make arrangements for tomorrow evening."

I had no desire to repeat this charade, even though it would make my mission easier to have two nights to investigate in here instead of just one. The whole sordid affair drained me in ways no battle ever could. _For the mission,_ the words echoed in my mind. _You can do this for the sake of the mission. Prove to Sephiroth and Angeal that you can handle an important assignment._ Ruthlessly, I shoved aside the unpleasant feelings trying to claw their way out and did what I had to do.

"I _suppose_ I could find an excuse to slip away from my colleagues tomorrow evening…"

At the mention of Zack and the others, a peculiar expression stole across his face. One that raised the hairs on the back of my neck and filled me with dread.

"Why not kill two birds with one stone? Invite them along."

"I beg your pardon?"

"No doubt they've all had a fine time with you. Even that silver-haired martinet, Sephiroth." His grin widened and he leaned close. I wanted to back away, but held my ground as he elaborated further. "Bet he has them all watch when he takes you, doesn't he? And I wager you love every minute of it."

I was going to be sick. My stomach cramped and burned, threatening to revolt any moment. But as I'd eaten nothing since breakfast, it had no fuel to make good on that threat. That didn't mean I didn't feel the intense need to dry heave at the picture painted by the Mayor's crude words. And he wasn't finished yet.

"So I'm sure your _colleagues_ -" the world came out as a belligerent slur- "won't begrudge me an hour or two if they still get their turns when I'm finished."

This had been a mistake. I'd thought I could do this- pretend that I was willing to whore myself to advance my career. Just long enough to get the Mayor to drop his guard. I'd told myself I could handle this, since I didn't have to go through with it.

I'd been wrong. Very wrong. I'd forgotten just how debauched and disgusting men like him could be. I thought I remembered- thought that dealing with Genesis had been good training for what I'd find here. Again, I'd been wrong. Gerald was far, far worse. By comparison, Genesis' suggestive come-ons almost made for polite conversation. A callow youth playing at a game for adults.

 _You're in league with the grown-ups, Lilith. It's too late to back out now. So play the game or be found out for the fraud you are._

I held onto my smile, but must have hesitated longer than I should have. Gerald had taken advantage of my distracted state, stubby fingers prying at the zipper at the back of my dress. I edged away in what I hoped appeared to be a seductive tease. He was not amused.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"It's early yet," I cajoled with a sly wink. "I thought you said you were interested in what surprises I had in store for you."

His expression visibly hardened. Gone was the indulgent benefactor he'd been pretending to be. Gone was the oblivious buffoon who couldn't tell a compliment from insult and made obtuse comments because he didn't know what he was saying. The change was as swift as it was alarming. Gerald squeezed my right bicep in a punishing grip and sneered at me.

"Oh I'm sure tonight will hold many _surprises_ \- for you, you little bitch. You and that high and mighty superior of yours who sent you here."

I had a feeling he didn't mean the Director, but tried to play it off as I didn't know who he meant.

"I…I don't understand. Lazard-"

"Has nothing to do with why you're in Junon," the Mayor finished, obviously unconvinced. "Sephiroth is behind this- sent you here as his little spy."

 _He knows. Oh merciful heavens, how did he find out?_

It didn't matter how. At least not at this moment. Knowing how I'd been betrayed wouldn't do me any good if I couldn't get myself out of my immediate predicament. Which all things considered, was looking to be far more dangerous than I anticipated.

 _Don't panic. Think. Think about the tools you have to deal with this._

The Mayor took my silence as an admission of guilt, and a particularly malicious smirk turned up the corners of his mouth.

"And since I know how eagerly Sephiroth is awaiting a full report of your activities, I have no intentions of disappointing him. Do you see that?" He wrenched my jaw at an angle so I could see the unmistakable blink of a small, red light. "You can be sure it'll record every second while I teach you what comes of sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. I'll keep a copy for myself and send one to your precious commander so he'll get the same message."

While he'd been talking, I'd quietly slipped one of the cool spheres of crystalized Mako energy out of the special compartment in my purse. The whole time I kept my eyes trained on the camera, letting nothing betray what I was about to do or break my concentration. I was just about to cast Freeze when a flash of movement from the door caught my eye.

In the next instant, the Mayor collapsed to the floor at my feet as I stood gaping at the man responsible. Several seconds of incredulous silence passed before my brain found a coherent thought.

"Kunsel!?" I flicked a panicked glance to the unconscious politician at my feet. "Kunsel…what have you done?"

5


	21. Chapter 21: What Makes Us Weak

_**Author's Note: Some amorous activities ahead- in the last section. Readers beware.**_

* * *

"I…" Kunsel stared down at the motionless body. "I don't know. He was going to- and then I just…reacted."

"You didn't _kill_ him, did you?"

He jerked his gaze up to meet Lilith's, asking her in equal parts contempt and disbelief, "After what he just said to you- do you really care?"

"About him?" Lilith gestured at the Mayor. "No. But I _do_ care that in the event of his untimely demise, our names don't top the list of suspects."

She had a point. Kunsel knelt carefully on the thick carpet and prayed he hadn't delivered a fatal blow. To his relief, he'd only knocked the man out cold. Not even a break in the skin. But most likely, the Mayor would have one hell of a bruise- not to mention a headache- come morning. He shook his head.

"Not dead. Just unconscious- no idea for how long, though."

She sighed in relief.

"Well that's one catastrophe narrowly dodged."

He got to his feet and crossed his arms. For a long time, that's all he did, not quite trusting what he might say if he tried to talk. If he could talk. Kunsel felt like screaming, beyond furious with her now that he realized her true purpose in coming here tonight. The enormity of the risk she'd taken.

"Is it true," he demanded at last. "That Sephiroth sent you to spy on the Mayor for him. Is it true?"

"Yes," Lilith admitted quietly. "The PR angle was a decoy to disguise the real mission and divert his attention."

"Does Zack know?"

"No. As far as he's aware, the PR mission is the reason we're here." She pressed her fingers to her temples and closed her eyes for a second before adding, "My orders strictly forbade me from letting any of you know. I would have told you, Kunsel- wanted to, even- but…"

She seemed at a loss at how to explain. Not that she needed to. Espionage missions demanded secrecy by their very nature. Usually a single operative. Less risk of having the mission exposed…and very easy to deny. He'd done a few for Shinra, so he should know. So no, of course the 1st Classes would not have wanted Lilith to speak of it. A few drinks in Luxiere and he would tell anyone just about anything. Even Zack might have posed a problem; too much like Angeal. Still…

"Even if you couldn't tell the others, you could have told me, Lilith."

"I couldn't. Suppose I failed the mission or something went wrong? I couldn't let you-"

"What? Take the fall with you? Go on with my career and leave you to reap whatever came of the fallout?"

"I can handle it."

"You don't have to take on everything yourself," Kunsel insisted. "Not when it means putting yourself in danger. Hell, you thought you came here alone. No one to watch your back if the worst should happen. And it very nearly did."

"I didn't come unprepared. I knew what to expect from the likes of him."

To Kunsel's ears, the words were strained thin. Maybe she thought she knew what the Mayor might do, but he'd seen the look on her face when the confrontation had gotten ugly. No, Lilith hadn't been prepared for _that_.

 _Neither were you,_ his mind echoed. _Admit it- when you heard what he'd said, your first instinct was to rip the man apart._

Kunsel ignored that comment and stuck to his point.

"And what of _his_ expectations, Lilith? Forget the fact that he knew you were a spy. He invited you here for sex and I don't see how you thought you were going to get out of that."

"It's better you don't know the answer to that."

"You weren't actually going to go through with it…were you?"

"God no," she assured him while making a face.

"Then what?" Lilith bit her lip and hesitated, so he pressed her again. "Lilith, just tell me. Whatever it is."

She reached for her purse and withdrew her hand. Kunsel stared, speechless, at the glowing emerald orb resting on her palm. Materia. And not just any Materia- not the low-level elemental magic they'd used as 3rd Classes. Contain. As far as he knew, only the 1st Classes had access to something like this.

"How?"

Lilith carefully redeposited the sphere in her purse and brushed a wisp of hair from her eyes.

"I _may_ have taken a few liberties in the equipment room before leaving HQ."

"You _stole_ Materia? Are you insane?"

" _Borrowed_ ," she emphasized.

"Do the 1st Classes know you brought that to Junon?"

"No."

Kunsel felt as though he'd swallowed a mouthful of cotton. Unless directed by Lazard or a 1st Class, the use of Materia was not authorized for the junior ranks. Just having it in her possession was breaking several rules. Ones that could get her expelled from SOLDIER…or worse.

"If anyone found out-"

"I tried to tell you that you were better off not knowing."

The Mayor chose that moment to utter a soft groan, though he did not awaken. Reminded that time was a bit of a factor, Kunsel decided to table the conversation about the Materia. They had to find a way out of this- and fast.

"I don't know about you, but I think it's best we discuss all that somewhere else."

Lilith nodded. "Agreed."

"You think he'll remember what happened if we just leave him here?" He frowned, noting the lump on the back of the man's head. "Though there's no help that he won't notice that, I suppose."

"Actually," she peered into the bag slung over her shoulder and withdrew second orb imbued with a seafoam hue. He recognized it as Restore Materia. "I have something to take care of that."

He didn't want to ask, but did, anyway.

"Lilith- how many of those did you 'borrow'?"

"Just the ones I thought I would need," she answered vaguely while tapping into the Mako energy to heal the Mayor's wound.

"How many."

"Four."

Kunsel uttered a curse under his breath before asking, "And the other two?"

"I thought you didn't want to discuss that here?"

"Damn you, this is serious." When she didn't answer, his next words nearly came out as a plea. "Please tell me you didn't take any of the Summons."

Lilith flashed him an annoyed glare as she finished with what she was doing.

"What in the hell would I do with one of those, Kunsel? I wouldn't know how to use one, anyway."

"I'm surprised you know how to use something like Contain," he replied. "Not even Zack has practiced with it."

She didn't seem inclined to explain her knowledge, and they didn't have time for him to keep prodding her about it. Kunsel let the subject go. Lilith straightened up, glanced around the room and gestured at the leather sofa along the one wall.

"I'm thinking it'd be a good idea to put him there- so when he wakes he'll think he fell asleep there."

Kunsel hefted the bulk of the Mayor's portly frame over his shoulder and dumped him onto the couch. He still worried that this would all be for nothing when the man came to.

"He's going to know that his plans were foiled- he's going to know he spent the night alone."

"No, he won't. I'd intended to lull him to sleep using-" she broke off the sentence, the corner of her mouth crooked into a wry smile. "Well, too late not to tell you now. Seal Materia."

"And then what?"

"Cast Confusion and convince him that he had a _very_ good time this evening."

"Using what- Contain? You could have done that using Mystify, you know."

"Couldn't find a copy in the equipment room, so I went with what was available."

"This is all insane. Entirely insane."

"And I suppose you have a better plan?"

He didn't. But rather than have to admit those words aloud, he just nodded towards the Mayor and said, "Better get on with it, then, before he wakes up."

"While I'm at it, I'll persuade him that he never heard anything about a spy or that Sephiroth had anything to do with my being here. Lucky for us that was discovered before he could do any real harm to the mission."

Kunsel said nothing to that, but Lilith could tell he wasn't exactly happy. And he wasn't. The more he thought about what this mission expected of her, the angrier he became. Sephiroth had asked Lilith to take on a tremendous risk. One that the 1st Class hadn't been willing to take on himself. Likely knowing that she wouldn't refuse- even if it meant putting herself in over her head.

 _He's using you._ Lilith would insist that it didn't matter so long as if one day she'd make it to 1st Class. _I just hope she doesn't forget that Sephiroth's concern is with his own career and not hers._

Kunsel roused himself from those thoughts just in time to see Lilith activate the Contain Materia, and braced himself against the fierce whirlwind that swept through the study as she cast Tornado. Fortunately, the sparse décor suffered little damage. Just a few pillows scattered on the floor and several books wrenched from their shelves. He set to putting those to rights while she took advantage of the Confuse side-effect of the spell, keeping well away to avoid overhearing whatever she was telling the Mayor. Even if nothing truly happened, the man would believe she'd gone through with their arrangement. Would likely gloat to himself about it.

"Kunsel?"

Thinking of her as a cheap whore.

" _Kunsel_ ," Lilith repeated impatiently with a snap of her fingers.

"Sorry, what?"

"We should be going, but I'm going to need your help."

"Help?"

She pointed at a high shelf- rather at the recording device sitting on it.

"I need to get up there to erase the tape and do some tinkering to make it look like the camera malfunctioned and wasn't able to record anything. But it's a bit out of reach, and I don't see any furniture I'd want to risk standing on. So…"

"I'm not sure I could reach it, either."

"Well, I was thinking if you could…um…give me a boost up. I could get a foot hold on that shelf there. It'd only take a few minutes. Five, tops."

The request sounded perfectly reasonable, and it wasn't like they had much in the way of alternatives. Still, Kunsel hesitated to agree. About as much as she had hesitated to suggest it. Maybe it might have been no big deal if she'd been in uniform, but wearing that dress…well, it complicated things. But that tape had to be destroyed or else all this was for nothing.

 _We can survive five minutes._

"No problem," he told her; they both knew he was lying. "Let's do this."

* * *

"Okay, I think that's got it," I declared as I closed the outer casing of the camera. "We're good to go if you want to let me down."

Kunsel's grip shifted, loosening so that I slid carefully to the floor. I tried not to focus on the warmth of his hands on my waist. Or that we stood that way far longer than necessary before breaking apart. Instead, I busied myself with retrieving my purse from the Mayor's desk and checking the time.

The hour was late- too late to do what I'd come here to do. That and I knew I'd exhausted my limits for casting anything with the Materia after using Contain. Not even for a simple Sleepel spell to keep the Mayor subdued. No help for it; I'd have to come back tomorrow or risk returning to Midgar empty-handed. At least I knew Gerald would gladly accept an invitation for a second night after the false memories I'd stuck in his brain about tonight.

 _Just have to hope no one reminds him about the whole spy business in the meantime._

I glanced sideways at Kunsel, who still looked upset about the whole business. Once we left this place, I was sure I'd get an earful of his opinions- whether I wanted to or not. The prospect was hardly thrilling, but offered one silver lining. At least I could find out just how he'd figured out I'd be here. So with that in mind, I moved towards the door to the hall.

"Let's clear out."

"What about the mission," he asked. "If we leave, you won't discover what he knows of the Leviathan."

"Can't risk it. I'll have to try again tomorrow."

Oh he did _not_ like hearing that. Not one bit.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"You saw what happened tonight- what _almost_ happened. How can you think to give him the chance to try again?"

"Look, can we argue about this somewhere else?"

"There's nothing to argue, the way I see it. You have the Materia, so if he shows signs of coming to, you can cast Sleepel. But let's just get this over with while we're here."

I wished I could agree with his plan. Almost did, actually. Tempting to tell myself that I was exaggerating, and that I really could afford one _tiny_ Sleepel spell if it came down to it. But I knew I'd never forgive myself if I took a risk that jeopardized the mission. Regretfully, I shook my head.

"I can't, Kunsel. That last spell wiped me out for the night. I'll need until tomorrow evening before I think I'll be up to cast anything again."

He blinked in surprise.

"Just after one spell?"

"Well, not just the one," I admitted. "I was using Manipulate before the Mayor and I came inside."

"Still, though."

"Using these is nothing like the elemental Materia we used as 3rd Classes. It takes a lot more out of you." He didn't look all that convinced. "Kunsel…that was a Level 90."

His skin went ashen as he comprehended what that meant. There were legitimate reasons why Materia like Contain were restricted to the 1st Classes. Materia spells were all evaluated on a scale of the energy it took to release the spell within the crystalized Mako. The Ice and Bolt Materia from our early SOLDIER days was maybe a 22. I could have cast it at least four times before feeling as drained as I did right now. Not a situation a SOLDIER would want to occur unexpectedly during a battle, but a risk I was willing to take against the Mayor.

"All right," he conceded. "But what if you gave me the Seal Materia? I could cast-"

"Have you practiced with one before?"

"Well, no. But if it means you don't have to come back, I'll take my chances."

At the end of my patience, I snapped, "Am I or am I not a SOLDIER, Kunsel?"

He seemed taken aback at my question, evident by the bewildered tone as he denied with a shake of his head, "I don't see what that has to do with this."

"That's the problem- apparently, you don't. I'm making this decision because I've been given a mission to complete. This is the best option- whether I like it or not- and so I'll do it. And if you truly thought of me as a SOLDIER, you wouldn't be fighting me."

A long silence followed. I didn't wait for Kunsel to reply, turning on my heel and exiting the Mayor's office. The hallway was well behind me before he finally caught up. Mutely, Kunsel fell in step on my left. Or respective footfalls on the marble lobby floor marked our passage, until at last we emerged through the exterior doors to the street. Only then did he find the courage to speak up.

"It's so hard, Lilith." I said nothing, letting him continue. "I know you're right, but it's so hard to keep the concern I have for you as my friend separate from the respect I have for you as a SOLDIER."

I didn't miss the hesitation over the word 'friend', and knew the concern ran deeper than that. Rather than pour salt into that wound by calling attention to the fact, I let it go.

"I appreciate the concern. Really I do. But I need your respect when it comes to the job. I need to know that if I make a decision, you won't challenge it purely out of fear that it may be dangerous. SOLDIER is a dangerous life. No one hid that from us when we joined. We all take risks- have to be _willing_ to take them to do what needs done."

"I know. And I'll try," he offered with an uneven sigh. "I can't make a promise I might break, but I can at least say I'll try."

That was a start. I tilted my head askance to look at him, and seeing the strained expression he was trying to hide, I decided to change the subject.

"So…before you became my second shadow…did you at least eat?"

Kunsel caught the humor in my voice and smiled ruefully. "Uh…no."

"I thought as much. Well, I'm hungry- starving, really. So did you want to see if Zack and Luxiere are still at the pub to join them?"

He was about to answer when an insistent buzz from his hip pocket interrupted our conversation. Kunsel withdrew his phone, checked the screen and muttered under his breath. While he keyed in the code to unlock it, I waited in bemused silence.

"Speaking of," Kunsel groused without looking up. "It's Zack texting me. Wanting to know what's going on."

"No surprise."

"So the question is- what do we tell him?"

Good question. I knew what we _couldn't_ tell him- or Luxiere. Neither of them could know why I'd really come to the Mayor's office tonight. Nor could we say that Kunsel had stopped me before I left; it was too late for that. Regardless, no matter what we told him, at least part of it would be a lie. Which I hated doing.

 _For the best._

"Lilith?"

"Sorry- thinking," I replied with a start. A moment later, I offered what I hoped would be a workable compromise. "You think they'd buy an account of me meeting the Mayor for dinner, but that I turned him down for anything else? You could say you ran into me on my way back."

Kunsel considered the suggestion, nodding slowly.

"I think that's our best option. But you realize-" he added while typing his message- "that means we can't go back to the pub. Zack'll be suspicious if you order food when you just came from dinner with the Mayor."

He was right. While not normally prone to skepticism, Zack would find that too odd to let it pass without comment. And once he started asking questions, I feared that there'd be no keeping this mission a secret. No, going to the pub was no longer an option. I shrugged.

"Somewhere else, then?"

"Unless you prefer starving."

"I do not."

Kunsel put his phone away. With hands still in his pockets, he swept a look over me. As if making a decision. I tried to resist the impulse to ask after his thoughts- in particular about my attire. I'd said I'd wanted to keep things platonic; that sort of question opened the door to something more.

"In that case," he said at last. "I think I know someplace that'll do just as well."

* * *

The Kettlewood was still busy, despite the lateness of the hour. Zack and Luxiere had polished off two helpings of the stew and several rounds of ale while they'd waited for news from Kunsel. Well, _he'd_ waited; Luxiere wasn't quite so concerned. Not even after Zack had explained what sort of invitation the Mayor had likely made to Lilith.

 _"Sure, it's a shitty thing for her to do to Kunsel," his friend had said. "But I don't see where it's something to make such a fuss about."_

And no matter how he'd tried to explain why Luxiere was wrong, the younger SOLDIER wouldn't budge on the point. Eventually, Zack had given up. It just wasn't worth the energy to fight him on it. So he drank his ale and kept a sharp eye on his phone. Almost to the exclusion of all other conversation or activities around him. Which was likely why he hadn't noticed their waitress approaching until after she had already spoken.

"Well, you two sure made up for your friend."

"Doesn't know what he's missing," Luxiere answered congenially. "But you can guarantee I am more than happy to enjoy it for him."

 _Still trying for a hot date,_ Zack thought with an inward sigh. _No amount of discussion has put an end to_ that _ambition._

Vestra wasn't helping matters, either, by responding to Luxiere's flirting. Not to mention initiated some of her own. Like now, for instance. She sided up next to his friend and reached for his empty tankard, deliberately brushing against him in the process.

"Why don't I get you a refill on this, then," she suggested with a saucy wink. As an afterthought, she looked over at Zack. "You interested in another round, hun?"

"Fine, thanks."

The woman's attention turned back to Luxiere. Her free hand trailed down his arm while she pivoted to whist away with her tray of empties. Over her shoulder, she called back to him, "Be right back, so don't you go away now."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Once she was out of earshot, Zack felt he needed to try again to make the young man see reason.

"It's never going to happen, Lux."

"Says you." Eyes still glued to Vestra's retreating back, he insisted, "She likes me, I tell you."

"She wants a generous tip."

Luxiere settled into his chair and studied Zack from his side of the table. A disgruntled frown furrowed his brows as he laced and unlaced his fingers.

"Since when did you become such a cynic?"

He wasn't, usually. But lately Zack had found it more and more difficult to hold onto his optimism. Since their first Junon mission, really. Too much secrecy and shades of honesty that he never had to deal with before. Questions about things and people that he should never have to question. Hard not to develop a more cynical outlook in the face of all that. A complex reaction to a complex situation; to Luxiere, however, he kept his answer simple.

"It's a different world lately."

"I guess." After a pause, the man queried, "So you think Kunsel was able to stop Lilith from going to that thing with the Mayor?"

"I think he would have answered my text if he had."

"Could be arguing with her and hasn't seen it yet."

"That was well over an hour ago."

Luxiere shrugged. "Those two could drag out something like that, easy."

Not untrue, but instinct told him that their friend had arrived too late. Although if that were the case, Zack would have thought Kunsel would have been just as likely to send him a text saying so. To see no response at all was both puzzling and ominous. He glanced at his phone again. Luxiere, meanwhile, moved onto a different yet related subject.

"If you ask me, things would be a whole lot easier if they'd just quit denying that they want each other."

"It's none of our business, Lux."

"Oh c'mon- tell me you haven't thought about it yourself."

He'd tried not to. Did everything he could to let Kunsel and Lilith have their privacy and not get involved. He certainly didn't want to tell either one of them how to run their personal lives. But Luxiere was right in saying he did give the matter thought. Just not in the same way.

 _Whatever this is- or_ isn't _\- between those two is a liability._

Romantic relationships always were in their line of work. They distracted men and women alike, and caused them to make decisions that weren't always in their best interest. Decisions that were outright dangerous sometimes. For a SOLDIER, that kind of mistake often got someone killed. Which was why he didn't condemn those of his colleagues who preferred to keep things casual. Not even Genesis. When he stuck to women who wanted a meaningless fling, anyway.

In Kunsel's case, Zack worried that his friend was teetering on the edge of making the kind of mistake that could put not only himself, but all of them, at risk. Following Lilith to her appointment with the Mayor might have pushed him over that edge. And the more time passed without hearing from the man, the more he worried he was right.

Luckily, the waitress returned with Luxiere's drink, saving him from having to give voice to those thoughts. Her arrival redirected his friend's attention. Ever hopeful that he might convince the lady to invite him to her place. And if Zack thought he had a chance in hell of that happening, he'd be a bit more pointed in explaining that they were going back to the hotel- unaccompanied.

While those two flirted with one another, Zack picked up his phone to text Kunsel again.

«HEY MAN- WHAT'S GOING ON?»

He hit Send, no more hopeful that he'd get a reply this time, but unable to do nothing. Just as he was about to set it down again, the display brightened with the receipt of an incoming message. Zack read it eagerly, praying for the best. If nothing else, at least for news that Lilith was all right.

«BEEN WAITING AT THE HOTEL- SHE LEFT BEFORE I GOT HERE»

«JUST GOT BACK FROM DINNER WITH THE MAYOR»

 _Just dinner?_ Zack couldn't bring himself to ask if it was more than that. Then again, was a little early if she'd met him to do anything else. So maybe it was just dinner, after all. He sent back more important follow up question instead.

«SO EVERYTHING'S ALL RIGHT, THEN?»

«IT'S FINE»

The terse reply said otherwise. But it didn't sound like anything catastrophic happened, so Zack didn't question any deeper. If Kunsel was upset with Lilith for accepting the invitation, he could sort it out with her on his own. And with his immediate concerns alleviated, Zack switched gears. Best to let their friend know what the plan was, in case he was wondering when to expect them back.

«GOOD TO HEAR. LUX AND I ARE STILL OUT- HEADED TO THE HOTEL IN THE NEXT TWENTY MINUTES OR SO»

«OKAY»

Zack waited for a more concrete acknowledgement- maybe some idea what Kunsel and Lilith would do in the meantime- but he received no additional messages. After a minute or two, he gave up, figuring they'd be at the hotel. Probably still arguing. He put the phone away and sighed heavily.

"That him," Luxiere asked with a nod.

"Yeah. Finally."

"And?"

"He didn't make it back in time, but she's back already. Said it was just dinner."

"See? Didn't I tell you? Worried over nothing."

Luxiere's tone was nothing short of triumphant, taking the news at face value because it meant he was right. Zack still wasn't entirely certain that everything was as straightforward as Kunsel's texts had made it seem. But as he had no appetite to debate the point, he merely shrugged. Denied his opportunity to revel in the moment, his friend's expression turned sullen. When a few minutes passed and Zack showed no signs of remorse for spoiling Luxiere's fun, the man gave up. In the end, his curiosity got the better of him.

"Are they meeting us here, then?"

"No. I imagine given the hour, they're staying at the hotel." What he'd say next wouldn't brighten Luxiere's mood. Zack braced himself for the coming argument as he added, "Just as well, too, since we were about to head back once you finished that round."

As expected, a thundercloud of unhappiness loomed on his friend's face. He was quick to protest the idea.

"Maybe _you're_ leaving, but-"

"Lux, it isn't happening with the waitress, so you'd just better accept that now and cut your losses."

"Like hell- look, I'll prove you wrong."

Luxiere waved a hand aloft to attract Vestra's attention, and she immediately turned her steps towards their table. There was no stopping the impending disaster; Zack could only watch and wait for it to happen.

"Did you need something, hun?"

"Just the answer to a question I've been wanting to ask all night."

Vestra's smile hovered on her lips, but he thought he read the slight dread in her eyes. She knew exactly what his friend was about to ask her. Probably got the question a dozen times a night. For his part, Luxiere didn't seem to notice. He launched right into his single-minded entreaty.

"I was wondering whether you had any plans for the evening once your shift ended, and whether you'd be interested in sharing them with me."

 _That could have gone worse._ He'd seen Luxiere deliver some truly awful lines to women in the past, so he'd been prepared for something truly cringe-worthy. At least they were spared hearing that, but judging from the slightly apologetic frown on Vestra's face, his decent pick-up line wasn't going to help him in this situation.

"Oh you're such a sweetie," she told him. "But I've got the closing shift tonight. By the time I'm through, my only plans involve sleep."

"Sleep you can do any night," Luxiere suggested coaxingly. "But how often do you get to make a trip to Junon memorable for a visitor looking for adventure? I know I'd make it worth your while."

"I'm sure you would, but I truly can't."

Usually, his friend would take the hint at this point. He may be a bit of an awkward sort, but rarely made himself too obnoxious. This time, though, Luxiere let his determination get the better of his common sense. It was painful to watch as he tried again in an almost wheedling pitch.

"Just for an hour? You can't spare just one hour?"

The waitress' patience and goodwill was wearing thin- if not worn through. She had been holding out in hopes of not spoiling her chances for a decent tip, but was about ready to give up in favor of a blunt rejection. Her whole posture changed and she took a step backwards. Zack thought he might have seen her glance towards the bartender. Not good. He decided it was time to step in before Luxiere got them both thrown out.

"The lady said she wasn't interested, Lux," he asserted, voice firm and authoritative. He didn't need to use that tone often, but in times like this it came in handy. Especially with this particular brown-haired SOLDIER, who usually recognized it as a hint to take his head out of his ass. "You've asked her and she said no. So let's leave it go."

It worked as he'd expected. Luxiere reacted as if he'd gotten cuffed upside the head, mouth closing before he could utter whatever he'd thought to say next. His cheeks flushed, likely with embarrassment when he realized how he must have sounded a moment ago. Zack felt bad for the guy, but he'd tried to warn him. For a minute, Luxiere toyed with the half-empty tankard in front of him before his shoulders slumped in disappointment. Without even making eye contact with Vestra, he nodded.

"You're right, I know. I just…" he trailed off without finishing the sentence, looking downright miserable.

Vestra, bless her, took pity on the young man's ego. Or perhaps she felt guilty for giving him false hopes before. The look on her face softened and she approached the table. Even laid an arm across his shoulders.

"Tell you what," she proposed gently. "I bet I could still give you something to remember about visiting Junon."

His friend perked up ever so slightly.

"Oh?"

She leaned in close and planted a rather enthusiastic kiss on Luxiere's lips. Lasted no more than a minute- maybe two. But when the woman pulled away, his friend sat with a slightly dazed expression. She shook her head and laughed at him.

"If I were the type, I might have gone with you, SOLDIER boy," she sighed lightheartedly. "But that'll have to be enough for you."

And with that, Vestra breezed away again. Luxiere grinned at Zack, good humor restored with that small victory.

"Well, I think we were both right," he conceded. "And since it looks like I've seen the last of her, might as well head back to the hotel like you wanted."

"Yeah, I guess so," Zack replied absently, not really paying attention to a word he'd said.

"I'll go settle the tab, okay?"

"Sure."

Luxiere darted a funny look at him, but chose not to say anything. He got up from the table and headed for the bar. As Zack watched him go, his thoughts were consumed by a single question:

 _How'd she know we were in SOLDIER?_

* * *

As it turned out, Kunsel's suggestion was a restaurant and bar doing business not too far from the club we'd been to on the last mission. Not nearly as exclusive, but a lot nicer than the pub Zack and Luxiere went to, I bet. We chose to sit at one of the high-top tables closer to the bar. Before too long, a server came to take our order. I could have eaten half the dinner menu; I settled for a dish of roasted chicken.

We ordered drinks and waited for our meals to arrive. In that time, I managed to discover just how he knew what I planned to do this evening. Luxiere. While Kunsel and Zack were busy with the reporters, our good friend had been trying to keep himself occupied and overheard enough of the conversation to piece things together. I'd been so worried about the other two that I hadn't really thought of him. Should have known better.

Our ordered drinks arrived. As we sipped them, the conversation turned to plans about how to handle the Mayor situation for tomorrow. Lots of back and forth with him about the second invitation I needed to secure. And while I couldn't shake the suspicion that Kunsel's motives were more personal than he would admit, I couldn't deny the logic that having the two of us at the town hall would make searching for clues a lot easier. So we agreed that he'd shadow me like he'd done tonight, and once the Mayor was lulled to sleep, he'd join me in the office.

In the midst of all of that, the server brought out our entrees- which were devoured in between argument and counter-argument. Another round of drinks had come and gone, even, before he'd hashed out the details enough to suit us. Would have been a natural point to call for the check and head back to the hotel; I tried to ignore Kunsel's raised eyebrow when I ordered another double rum and soda instead. Nothing wrong with staying out a little longer.

Except something _was_ wrong.

The feeling had been building since leaving the Mayor's office. An overwhelming sense of revulsion and…dread. Revulsion for the encounter I'd had with the Mayor tonight. Dread for what I knew was to come tomorrow. No matter how much I tried to suppress them both, they kept creeping back. Throwing alcohol at the problem wasn't the right way to handle it, but I was so tired of the fight and just wanted to be numb for a while.

"You don't seem to be in a hurry to get back," Kunsel remarked when I offered no explanation for what was, for me, an uncharacteristic interest in liquor. "Any particular reason?"

Rather than admit to my uneasiness, I tried to deflect the question with a touch of humor.

"Way I see it, the less time I have to spend in that sorry excuse for a room, the better."

He didn't buy any of it, expression flat and grim. Nor should I have expected any different. How many times had he seen me use this tactic in the past? Enough to recognize it this time at least. Not smart to be so transparent if I intended to keep what was truly bothering me a secret.

 _Maybe that's why you said it- so you wouldn't have to._

The server brought my drink and retreated to the far side of the room, gathering up discarded dishes and tidying up in general. Most of the establishment was empty at this point. Kunsel and I were two of perhaps a dozen patrons. That likely had something to do with his decision to press the subject.

"I think we both know that's not why."

I traced a fingertip over the rim of my glass, saying nothing for several minutes. Not wanting to delve into the issue, but not wanting to come up with another lie, either. My hand stilled and dropped to the tabletop. I glanced up at him, feeling extremely weary.

"Kunsel, can we not do this? Can't we just leave it at having a few drinks at the end of a long day?"

With reluctance, he agreed to let the matter drop. Our conversation stalled for a while after that. We focused on our glasses or on the dimly lit room around us. And despite the liquor's potency, it didn't do anything to stave off the uncomfortable feelings I wanted to bury. If anything, they only grew stronger.

 _Best not to order another,_ I told myself dismally. _Just call it a night and try to get some sleep._

We paid our checks and found ourselves once more on the streets of Junon. The very dark streets. It seemed that even fewer lamps were lit at this hour, and the shadows pressed close. I pulled my elbows in towards my body, acutely aware of the warning signs of another episode. That'd be two in one evening, unless I could snap myself out of this. But if I could just make it to the hotel- get off the street- then I'd be all right. Just a ten or fifteen minute walk, that's all.

I couldn't move. Not a single step.

The weight of everything just came crashing down, rooting me to the spot. The Mayor. The other men who'd been just like him. The memories of my past that had been raised from the dead. All of it layered one atop the other, burying me until I could hardly breathe.

"Lilith?"

 _Hold it together, Lilith._ The silent order wasn't quite as convincing as I wanted it to be. I tried again. _A SOLDIER doesn't fall apart when things get tough. A SOLDIER wouldn't be afraid. A SOLDIER would fight back and win the battle no matter what. Isn't that what you joined Shinra to become? So fight, damn you._

Kunsel called my name a second time, sounding more than a little concerned. I exhaled and forced myself to take a step forward.

"I'm good."

"You're lying," he argued tonelessly. "But if that's what you need to do, I won't try to stop you."

"Kunsel…"

"No, really. It's fine."

 _Now who's lying?_

It wasn't fine. None of _any_ of this was fine. I wasn't even sure how to make everything all right again. If it could be. The simple, straight-forward path I'd envisioned when I'd joined SOLDIER had rapidly disintegrated over the past few weeks. In its wake, just a quagmire of indecision and insecurities. I half-turned to face Kunsel, unable to mask either. He stared back, equally burdened by the strain of trying to pretend to be okay with the status quo.

We stood that way for so long I lost track of the minutes. The more time passed, the more seriously I questioned why I was forcing him- forcing both of us- to pretend. Would it truly be that wrong to…

Before that thought reached its conclusion, I smothered it with a stern lecture. _We've been over this- that is not a smart decision if I want to be a 1_ _st_ _Class someday._

 _Who ever said every decision you make has to be smart?_ That surreptitious question arose from a particularly rebellious corner of my mind. Usually dormant, but especially active over the past two days. And it wasn't through with me yet. _Someday could be a long time away- or never. What do you want_ now _?_

I wanted to say a distraction- a few hours where I didn't have to think about the specters of past and present that were haunting me. If that were true, I could resist any temptation to agree with that voice in my head. Because I could _never_ use Kunsel in that way. But it was more than that. A need I couldn't quite put into word or thought- and yet there none-the-less.

In a moment no doubt I would someday name as weakness, I gave into it.

Kunsel must have seen the change in my expression. He didn't move as I closed the distance between us. Didn't speak. I took his hand in mine, a silent message of my intent. Only then did he find his voice.

"Lilith, I don't want you to think you have to."

"I don't."

"And you're not just…" he couldn't finish, but I knew what he was asking.

"I'm not."

"But yesterday-"

"I know. And I can't promise that I won't have second thoughts tomorrow." I let out a slow, quavering breath. "I don't know if it's enough, Kunsel, but I can give you now."

I could see the debate rage in his eyes. Now was a poor substitute for a man who wanted much more. And the price he might pay for it later weighed heavy in that decision. Did he risk ruining a friendship if this ended badly? I waited until he'd made up his mind.

"Now is more than I ever expected to have."

Without disengaging my hand from his, I took a step towards the hotel. Kunsel shook his head, not moving. I stopped, confused.

"What?"

"Not there. Not in that wretched place. If now might be all I get, Lilith, then it'll be in a room worthy of the occasion."

* * *

The room was paid for- a very nice room, but the couple was too preoccupied to notice. The door closed, leaving them half-stumbling in the dark until their eyes adjusted. Lips met- eager to taste each other for the first time. Their light, feathering explorations quickly gave way to ardent, open-mouthed kisses. Her teeth scored his bottom lip, surprising him with her aggressiveness. He traced the shell of her ear with the tip of his tongue before trailing his lips down the line of her throat.

Fingers fumbled at buttons and zippers, accompanied by the sounds of fabric rustling over skin. The discarded clothes fell to the carpet in susurrant whispers; neither of them cared about that, either. Hands traced teasingly over the planes and curves of skin laid bare to the pale moonlight. His cupped her breast while hers slid down the valley of his spine. With each successive foray, urgency built between them.

The lovers tumbled into bed, driven by the need for more. Touches and kisses deepened- grew more intimate. Once or twice, she cried out as passion strained the limits of her control. He reveled in the sound, and yet withheld the release he knew she craved. Not yet. No need to rush when they had all night. As he contemplated the ways he intended to make the most of it, her hands and mouth played skillfully with his body. Now he was the one silently- or not so silently- begging to be brought to completion.

She denied it to him.

Holding out against that sweet agony was a test of willpower and endurance. For both of them. The need for release burned and couldn't be ignored any longer. She drew him close, arching against his hips; he slid into her with a groan. And for some time, their awareness narrowed to the rhythm of their bodies moving with one another. Until at last, the end came for both of them in shuddering oblivion.

They embraced one another in the aftermath, shaking- dazed. Gradually, heartbeats calmed. Breathing slowed. Neither spoke, unwilling to break the spell. He merely held her, stroking the wisps of hair back from her temples as he gazed into her eyes. She reached up to entwine her fingers at his nape and pulled his head down to kiss her.

As a cloud drifted across the moon outside, sounds of passion rose again from within.

6


	22. Chapter 22: Vestiges of the Paths Taken

The grey light of predawn filtered in through the east-facing window; the curtains had been left open. I stared at the beige ceiling overhead, as I'd been doing for the past half hour. Since I'd been jarred out of sleep for the nine or tenth time by the brush of a leg against mine. Accustomed to sleeping alone, adjusting to Kunsel's presence had been difficult. It had made for a long, restless night. Not his fault.

 _No, it's yours._

An accusation I couldn't refute. After all, hadn't this been my idea? Last night I'd argued against myself in favor of it, throwing out nearly every rule I'd ever made for myself before I joined Shinra. The justifications for having broken those rules vanished with the sunrise; all that remained were the reasons why I shouldn't have. And while I wasn't willing to call last night a _mistake_ , I couldn't say that having gone through with it was very wise, either. With a glance to Kunsel, who was still asleep, I suppressed a sigh.

 _No use just lying here if I'm not going to sleep. Might as well get up._

Careful not to disturb him, I drew back the covers and slipped out of bed. A soft glow emanated from the window, providing just enough light for me to maneuver without the help of a lamp. I went about the business of gathering up my clothes. As I moved about the room, the carpeting did a fair job of muting the sound of my footsteps. Footsteps that were a little slower today than usual.

I was surprised to find myself more than a little sore this morning. Who knew that sex could leave me as wrung out as much as an intense workout? My gaze landed on the adjoining bathroom, and I found myself thinking a shower might help with the stiffness of some of those muscles. I certainly intended to take advantage of the opportunity to avoid the disgusting bathroom at our original hotel.

Closing the door softly behind me, I flicked on the light and tried not to blink at the sudden brightness. My eyes adjusted after a minute or two. When they did, I was pleased to find the room clean and stocked with the essentials. A good thing, too, since all of my toiletries were in the room Angeal had booked for us. The faucet turned easily at my touch, releasing a deluge of water. I tested it gingerly with one hand. Frigid.

 _Maybe give it a while to warm up first._

Standing before the vanity, I took stock of myself in the rectangular mirror mounted to the wall. A swift appraisal assured me that my body was free of any tell-tale marks that would arouse suspicions from Zack or Luxiere. I breathed a sigh of relief at that, but shook my head in dismay over the state of my hair. An utter disaster there. More than a few bobby pins stuck out of what remained of the chignon I'd done up yesterday evening, looking like tortured sticks. I plucked those out first, wincing as a few hairs came out with them. Not much I could do about the rest. Without a brush, I did my best by finger-combing the worst of the tangles.

By then, the water had warmed enough to get in. I slid back the glass door and stepped over the raised lip of the spacious shower cubicle. Far larger than the shower in my own apartment, or in the facilities at Headquarters, though perhaps not quite the size of a full bathtub. Whatever the size, I was just grateful for the chance to scrub away yesterday's grime- in more ways than one. Starting with my much abused hair.

I'd just finished rinsing out the conditioner when I heard the bathroom door swing open; Kunsel must have been woken up by the sound of running water and had come to investigate.

"Lilith?"

"Uh huh?" When he didn't continue, I risked looking over to where he stood in the doorway. "Something the matter?"

His features, somewhat blurred by the glass between us, were still clear enough for me to make out his somber expression. As expected, his words were equally grave and carefully delivered.

"I was thinking to ask you the same question."

I didn't know how to answer at first. Did I brush off the recriminations and other complications that had set in since last night…or did I give him a more honest answer? Even though I'd warned him that I might have second thoughts today, it felt unnecessarily cruel to throw them in his face mere hours after having spent the night together. On the other hand, I felt just as wrong about pretending everything was fine. In the end, I settled for something in-between.

"Couldn't sleep," I admitted. "Not used to someone else being there, you know. Thought I'd get up and shower."

"You sure?"

"Mhmm."

He seemed a little dubious. Okay, more like downright skeptical. Unless I wanted to have the heavy conversation that I knew was coming- and I _didn't_ \- I needed to find some way to redirect his focus. Quickly. I drew inspiration from the reasons that had brought me in here, and tried to make my voice as casual as I could.

"And I'd recommend you do the same before we leave. I saw the bathroom at our other hotel and you do _not_ want to use that until I have a talk with the building manager about a thorough cleaning."

An involuntary snarl crept into the last two words. Just recalling the mental image of that filthy excuse of a bathroom scraped at my need for cleanliness. A habit I had developed once I'd left the slums behind. Never liked it even then, but didn't have much choice in those days. Zack and the others had learned very quickly my tolerance for unnecessary grime registered on an almost negative scale. And gave me hell over it any chance they could. Which would explain the beginnings of a smirk on Kunsel's lips. He tried to keep that amusement to a minimum when he replied.

"That bad?"

Definitely failed, but I didn't mind the laugh at my expense. Though I doubt he'd have found that bathroom funny if he'd seen it for himself.

"You don't even want to know. Really."

Kunsel said nothing to that, and yet lingered in the doorway as if debating something. But when several minutes had passed with no further comment from him, the conversation appeared to be over. I turned back to finish cleaning myself up, grabbing a washcloth and body soap. My preference would have been a loofa, and thought wistfully of the one I'd packed. Still, I could hardly complain about my available options. Beggars couldn't be choosers. Aiming to get this done quick, I worked the soap into a lather.

My back was to the rest of the room when I heard the door to the shower slide open. I froze, not entirely sure of his intentions. Or his _expectations_ , either. When it came to people, I'd learned long ago that you just never truly know what lived inside them- what they might do. Unpleasant thoughts to be having about Kunsel; I couldn't afford not to consider them. But faith in his character convinced me to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Kunsel? What are…?"

"Would you mind if I joined you," he queried invitingly while hovering just outside the cubicle. His tone remained light- and yet earnest- as he added, "Or would you prefer I waited until you're finished?"

I felt a second's remorse for having even the slightest distrust, knowing that he meant that last part. Despite how badly I was sure he wanted to stay, Kunsel would walk away if I told him to. Nor could I blame him for trying. _I should tell him to wait._ _Prolonging this beyond last night is just going to add to an already complicated situation._

But, just like last night, I couldn't resist arguing with myself. _Line's been crossed- why try to drag yourself back over it now?_

Before I could think of a rational argument against that point, I realized I'd already delivered my answer to Kunsel.

"If you think there's room enough."

 _What in the hell am I doing?_

Too late to take it back; Kunsel had already stepped inside and closed the glass panel. The enclosed space suddenly felt much smaller. Even without turning around, I could sense how close he stood behind me. If I took a half-step backwards, I was sure I'd collide against him. And for whatever reason, that thought brought on a rush of awkward shyness. Unexpected, given the things we'd done last night. I'd felt no shyness then.

But then, last night I'd had the dark as my ally.

Ignoring the hammering of my heartbeat, I managed to glance over my shoulder at him. Even found a wry smile as I said, "So, uh…I dunno how this works."

"How what works?"

 _Any of this,_ I answered silently. Didn't say it. Too many questions I didn't want to deal with. _Stick to something easy._

"Never had to know shower etiquette for two."

"Same for me," he replied. "But as a start…"

Kunsel reached for the washcloth in my hand. I let him take it, disengaging my grip even as I told myself for the umpteenth time that I shouldn't be making things more complicated than they already were. Not that the reminder did any good. Not when Kunsel drew the washcloth over my back in slow circles. I braced a hand against the tile and let my eyes drift shut; his free hand strayed to my left hip, holding me steady. No idea how long I stood that way, but then the arc of one of those circles curved over my shoulder and dipped across my collarbone.

Any pretense that he was merely helping with places I couldn't reach vanished. If there was a time to protest, now was it. But no words surfaced. I tilted my head back, allowing it to rest against the hollow of his shoulder. Kunsel took that as permission to continue. His hand dipped lower, leaving a trail of tiny shimmering bubbles in its wake. And despite the heat of the water, a shiver coursed through me. My hands curled and flexed involuntarily. I caught my lip in my teeth in hopes of suppressing the faint moan that rose in the back of my throat; it escaped none-the-less.

At some point, my right hand slid upwards to cover his. Kunsel paused mid-caress, and I turned to face him as I tugged the washcloth out of his fingers. My words came out as a husky whisper, leaving no doubt as to my intent.

"I believe it's my turn."

* * *

Angeal surveyed the briefing room, arms folded across his chest and a stern expression fixed on the group of 2nd and 3rd Classes before him. The look was intimidating enough to silence the chattering from the ones who hadn't been paying attention. One group far in the back in particular. He lingered especially long on them before continuing with his announcements for the morning.

"The Director has tasked you all with a serious job this morning," he began. "A disturbance in Sector 7 is disrupting services for that part of the city. Reports of sabotage and destruction to public and private property reached Shinra this morning."

Actually, those reports had begun trickling in last night. Angeal and Sephiroth had still been in his office when one of the 3rd Classes assigned to Sector 7 had staggered in holding a bloodied rag to his head; his partner hadn't been so fortunate to make it out of the Sector alive. Ambushed by the group terrorizing the area and dragged away before either of them could react. When the unrest was dealt with, they'd hold a memorial for their fallen colleague, but the focus today was to restore order to the city.

As for the messenger from last night, Angeal couldn't help feeling that they'd been fortunate that he'd been so intent on delivering news of the unrest that he hadn't noticed- or asked about- the paperwork regarding the Leviathan Conspiracy that lie scattered on the desk. Even the most casual of observer would have been able to discern that something was going on. Extremely fortunate, indeed.

 _One of these days we won't be so lucky._

He knew it was only a matter of time before Lazard discovered that they'd disobeyed orders. Quite frankly, he was surprised the mission they'd concocted for the 2nd Classes hadn't tipped off the Director. The man was hardly stupid. He could piece together plausible reasons to suspect their true intent. So the fact that he'd agreed so easily was more than a little unnerving to Angeal.

The whole business made him acutely uncomfortable, really. Sneaking around behind Lazard's back chafed at his sense of honor. But then, so did ignoring an obvious threat to the safety of the people SOLDIER was meant to protect. Angeal did not like that Shinra was forcing him to choose between duty and honor. Or that the choice he'd made often meant he was sacrificing honesty as well.

Thoughts that had no place during this briefing; Angeal set them aside to continue with the morning's assignments.

"You'll be split into two teams. Glazer and Essex- you will lead the first. Sweep the Sector for possible hostile forces and engage. You'll take Kohlen, Cordea and Moore as your backup. Wendt and Solon will lead the second team, consisting of Brown, Rousse and Linel. The five of you will see to the needs of the injured and investigate any damaged property for evidence leading to who is behind the attack."

All four 2nd Classes nodded, although Wendt couldn't quite mask his disappointment at having been given what sounded like the lesser mission. In some ways, he wasn't wrong. A SOLDIER typically made a name for himself in battle, not by digging around in rubble. But he needed at least one 2nd Class he could count on to lead that team. Angeal wasn't quite sure that Solon would have the right attention to detail. She'd only recently been promoted from 3rd Class, after all, and didn't have as much experience.

"Any questions?"

"Sir?" That from Glazer. Angeal motioned for him to continue. "We can't help noticing that Fair and the others aren't here. No one's seen them since yesterday afternoon."

Not exactly the kind of question he was looking for, but Angeal wasn't entirely surprised. Not even Wendt had known what the envelopes he'd delivered yesterday morning had contained- or why Angeal had summoned Zack and Lilith to his office. Then to have the quartet disappear from Headquarters with no explanation or mention of it in the daily briefings…yes, Angeal knew that would draw attention. And he'd noticed that though Genesis hadn't been overly confrontational with any of the junior ranking SOLDIERs since his return, Headquarters retained a sense of uneasy tension. Might as well do what he could to ease their concerns on this matter.

"They were given a mission to Junon and should be back in a few days."

Several SOLDIERs exchanged glances, but no one inquired any further. Which had been his aim in delivering the news in what he felt was the most straightforward means. Certainly no need to get into all the details or reasons behind the mission. Nor would junior SOLDIERs really expect to be given any. Angeal was about to dismiss the group when he saw movement just outside the room. A flash of burgundy. Genesis.

 _Well, well,_ he thought with equal measures of irritation and amusement. _You managed to drag yourself into work on time after all._

He wasn't the only one to notice the 1st Class' presence. A hard look crept into the expressions of more than one face in the group. Glazer and Wendt in particular, but even the female SOLDIERs among them remained impassive at best. Certainly weren't interested in catching his attention as they had in the past. Solon looked outright hostile, in fact, glaring at the door in utter disapproval.

Angeal felt it best to wait until he was certain Genesis had left the corridor before releasing the junior ranks. No need to create further tension where it could be avoided. Which meant coming up with a reason to hold them here. He racked his brain to think of something.

"Hewley, sir?"

Glazer again. Angeal returned his attention to the dark-haired man, reading from the look in his eye that whatever he had to say wouldn't bode well for diffusing the uneasiness at Shinra. Although he dreaded that possibility, he had no other ideas to stall for time. Nor did it do any good to suppress any further discussion on the subject. He'd rather know what they were facing than to be blindsided by it later when it was too late.

"You have another question?"

"Not a question. Just something I feel compelled to say." A pause- almost as if Glazer was debating whether to continue. He must have decided to risk it, facing Angeal with a grim stare as he issued what amounted to a challenge. "Lazard can't send us all away if there's an issue. One way or another, we will make him deal with Genesis."

Zack had warned him this attitude was growing steadily in the junior ranks. Where before they'd merely muttered those words amongst themselves, now they were voicing their solidarity aloud…solidarity against Genesis. And against the Director. Removing Kunsel from the direct line of fire hadn't appeased their concerns that SOLDIER was doing nothing to help the situation. Had done the opposite, in fact. The other 2nd and 3rd Classes viewed it as an affront- that the administration was merely sliding out from under their responsibilities. Angeal wished he could argue that they weren't, but he knew better.

 _I can't tell them they're right, either._ Nor could he lie to them outright. Yet another time he felt the discomfort of moral compromise, and tried not to cringe at the half-truth he was forced to offer them.

"The mission to Junon is a follow-up from last month. Fair and the others were ideal candidates because they participated in the previous mission."

Judging by Glazer and Wendt's stares, neither of them were satisfied by that explanation. Wendt came forward and added his observations to those of this colleague.

"Convenient that this follow up mission just _happens_ to come up the day Rhapsodos returns to HQ. More than convenient, _sir_."

That inspired a flurry of hushed murmurs from the rest of the group- and a number of them were nodding in agreement. The situation was getting out of hand. True or not, Angeal couldn't let junior ranking SOLDIERs accost a 1st Class with the kind of borderline insolence he'd just received. He gave the two 2nd Classes a quelling look before delivering a clear reminder of that fact.

"You have the right to raise concerns," he began in a calm, authoritative tone, "But you _will_ maintain a level of respect and bearing as befitting SOLDIERs. Is that clear, Wendt?"

For a moment, he thought the man might argue. If it had been just the two of them, no doubt he would have. But at least in a public setting like this, the core values of SOLDIER still resonated enough to keep him in check. At least for now. Wendt swallowed whatever he might have said and nodded once.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, I need all of you to get on top of the matter in Sector 7. We'll discuss your issues with Rhapsodos later today. My office- 4 o'clock."

"Yes, sir."

Angeal shifted his gaze to Glazer. "You as well."

"Yes, sir."

"So long as that's settled and there are no questions about the mission- everyone's dismissed."

* * *

As he stood in the squalid hotel lobby across town, Kunsel spent equal time retracing memories of last night- and this morning- and lecturing himself for not having resisted the offer Lilith had made. He'd told himself only two days ago that he wouldn't settle for anything less than a serious commitment. That the ephemeral pairings that tempted his colleagues wouldn't tempt him. But then, he'd never dreamed that he'd have to face that temptation. Never believed that she might offer him anything- even if only a single night. Unprepared and driven by the impulse of the moment, refusing had been next to impossible.

 _I should have._

Definitely should have been firmer in his resolve not to extend last night into this morning. When he'd woken up to find Lilith in the shower, he should have stayed in the room- waited for his turn and spent the next twenty minutes under a cold shower to get a grip. Kunsel suppressed a sigh that he'd ignored that advice.

 _She was mine, though,_ a quiet voice in his head countered. _If only this once- Lilith was mine._

Kunsel stole a covert glance in her direction, where she stood next to Zack. They were discussing the day's schedule. In her uniform and with her hair pulled back tightly, she bore little resemblance to the woman he'd followed to the town hall building. None at all to the woman who'd spend last night with him. He hoped that would make getting through this day easier; hoped it wouldn't make it _worse._

Thus far, the only relief had been that they'd arrived at the hotel early enough that their whereabouts of last night remained their secret. Even with the extra hour that started in the shower and finished in the bedroom. They'd cut it close to be sure, but had just enough time to tiptoe upstairs, change and meet back in the lobby before either of their friends came down. They were still waiting on Luxiere, actually. Late as usual.

"He'll be down in a few minutes," Zack swore. "Said so himself."

"And if I convert that into time measurements of _normal_ people, I'd say we have a good _ten_ before we see any sign of him."

The briefest smiles tugged at Kunsel's lips at Lilith's jest. Although, humor aside, she wasn't exaggerating by much. Even Zack was forced to admit it.

"Five minutes and I'll go drag him out of his room myself."

"I suppose I'm willing to compromise," she replied with a half-hearted shrug. "Five minutes it is."

Thankfully, they didn't need to resort to such measures. Luxiere emerged at the bottom of the staircase, shouldering into his gear even as he hastily crossed the room.

"Don't even say it," he insisted. "Just don't."

Lilith merely raised an eyebrow at him before turning towards the front entrance. Her response floated back to them over her shoulder.

"Wasn't going to. If we're to make it to the Mayor's office in time, best to head out."

A meeting Kunsel was not looking forward to at all. He still wasn't sure that the spell Lilith had used on the Mayor last night had held. The four of them could be walking right into a trap. And even if it _did_ work- and the Mayor was unaware of their true mission in Junon- Lilith still had to entice out of him a second invitation for tonight. She'd have to endure the man's pawing and lewd comments all over again. A muscle twitched at the corner of his eye just thinking of it.

"You all right, man," Zack asked. "Seem a little edgy this morning."

"I'm fine."

His friend slid him a sideways look, expression dubious. Then his glance shifted to Lilith, who led the group some distance ahead of them.

"Look- is this about last night?"

"Drop it, Zack."

"If it really was just dinner…I mean, you can't expect her to turn down-"

"Seriously. Drop it."

The knife-edge in his tone must have been sufficiently intimidating enough that the other 2nd Class backed down. Luxiere wisely followed his example. They'd both suspect that something more went on between Lilith and the Mayor last night the more he resisted their attempts to discuss the subject. An impression that couldn't be undone easily, but of the options available, posed the least risk to Lilith's mission. Well, now _his_ mission, too. Still didn't make it any easier. Or make the trip comfortable for any of them. The three of them said little else to one another the whole way.

They were greeted in the town hall's lobby by the same lackey as before. This time, at least, he didn't treat them as an unimportant inconvenience he could simply ignore. The sharp-eyed little man welcomed them solicitously, mouth bent into his best impression of a smile. Kunsel couldn't decide if the change in attitude was a sign that they were found out or not. He eyed the Mayor's aide closely as they walked the corridors of the massive building, looking for signs of a trap.

The main office looked no different than it had yesterday afternoon. Except this time, the Mayor was already waiting for them. He smiled broadly, wearing the same bland expression as during their previous meeting. No sign of the menacing character he and Lilith had seen last night. So if he had recalled any of the true events of the encounter, the Mayor had chosen not to act upon it at the present moment. Still didn't mean that he wasn't just biding his time.

"Excellent," the politician exclaimed. "On schedule as I expected you to be. Punctuality is an asset."

"We're certainly eager to get on with it," Lilith answered, pointedly ignoring the opportunity to reproach the Mayor for failing to follow his own advice. "And again, Shinra appreciates your office coordinating the necessary events."

"No need, my dear." He stepped closer to Lilith and reached for her hand, which she had no choice but to let him take. "My office is at your disposal. After all, we are public servants. Anything we can arrange on the people's behalf is the least we can do."

If Lilith was bothered by the Mayor's cloying proximity, she hid it well. Not even the slightest twinge or blink. Kunsel wondered how long her impassive mask would last. And how bad the fallout would hit her when it collapsed.

 _Will she turn to me again to pick up the pieces?_

That thought slipped out before he could stop it. He wasn't any more prepared to think about it than he had been last night. Not even when he'd asked the question. Lilith had sworn her decision had nothing to do with what happened with the Mayor. As much as he wanted to, Kunsel couldn't quite believe that to be completely true. Knew it wasn't. Which colored his failure to refuse with yet another layer of disappointment. Which was why he didn't want to think about it.

 _This is going to be a very long day._

"Shinra is equally concerned with the welfare of the citizens of Junon. And I believe the itinerary today will give my colleagues and me the opportunity to meet with some of those affected by the Leviathan attacks last month."

"Indeed, and I believe it's time we made our appearances."

"By your leave, sir," Lilith answered as she took a step to the side.

The Mayor moved with her, catching hold of her hand again and settling it in the crook of his elbow.

"By _your_ leave, my dear."

The rest of them might as well not have existed at all for all the attention he spared them. Didn't even acknowledge that Zack needed to move aside to allow the Mayor to pass by, Lilith firmly in tow. As for himself, Kunsel refused to look at either of his friends. He didn't want to see their pity or whatever else they might be thinking. If he was going to survive, he needed to stick to his part in this whole charade.

 _You promised you could do this. She's counting on you to keep that promise, so don't lose your focus._

* * *

Mid-morning had come and gone. Sephiroth had spent the majority of it running and rerunning simulations in one of the training rooms. Not for practice, of course; he hardly needed it and the training programs never presented a true challenge, anyway. No, these were for strategy and planning purposes. Preparation for the battles he strongly suspected were on the horizon.

In addition to the enemies Shinra had captured and catalogued over the years, every SOLDIER at Shinra was loaded as a potential opponent in the simulation database. The 2nd and 3rd Classes could access only a limited subset of those profiles to run simulated one-on-one training. As one of the elite 1st Classes in SOLDIER, Sephiroth could not only access the entire library, but he could also run the more sophisticated programs that allowed him to play out full-scale battles. A useful means of determining the optimum strategy out in the field.

As the current simulation ended, Sephiroth studied the statistical data. Victory had been achieved, but had been costly. Most of the 2nd Classes in the battle had perished. And while death was a necessary part of the job- one that gave Sephiroth little remorse when it came to strategizing- walking away from the fight with his entire team intact earned him more prestige. He'd just have to run it again until he found an acceptable solution.

Later, anyway. For now, he meant to have a talk with Angeal about this morning's briefing. And the reason it had been held in the first place. Sephiroth didn't like that this Sector 7 business arose the very night they'd dispatched the 2nd Classes to Junon. Felt a little too coincidental for comfort. But as of yet, he couldn't prove any possible connection.

He shut down the program and set the control console on standby before walking out into the corridor. A few 3rd Classes hovered nearby, obviously waiting their turn for use of the room. Scurrying inside only after he'd moved far enough away that it wouldn't be necessary to interact with him. The actions of cowards. Shouldn't even call themselves SOLDIERs if they couldn't face him directly during a routine interaction. No doubt they'd be petrified with fright if they had to cross words with him in a disagreement. Then again, few SOLDIERs would ever dare disagree with him.

 _Lilith would- and did._ The corner of his mouth turned up in a ghost of a smile. _Yes, yes she did._

Sephiroth turned away and continued in the direction of Angeal's office. Along the way, he passed the Materia Fusion Room. On impulse, he halted his steps. Retraced them back to stand before the door. Sephiroth wasn't sure why, but instinct told him to enter; he _never_ doubted his instincts about anything.

The room was deserted. Not surprising, given that few SOLDIERs were authorized to access Shinra's vast collection of crystalized Mako. Even those who were rarely set foot in here. Sephiroth's gaze swept the space, trying to determine what had brought him in here. Nothing appeared amiss, so why…

He zeroed in on an empty niche that _hadn't_ been empty yesterday morning. Sephiroth strode across the room to examine the shelf more closely. It held some of Shinra's more sophisticated and dangerous Magic Materia. The empty space belonged to a mastered copy of Contain. To his right, Sephiroth noticed two other empty niches. Seal and Restore. Again- just the mastered copies. He walked along the row of shelves until he came to another empty space in the Command Materia section. Manipulate. Just like the other three, the mastered copy had been removed. Sephiroth prowled the entire room, looking for more but finding none. Only those four had been taken.

 _By whom, I wonder,_ he asked of himself.

Neither he nor Angeal had taken them. He knew none of the missions assigned to any of the other 1st Classes required the use of Materia, either. Sephiroth didn't want to follow the natural line of logic to who would be the next- and most likely- candidate. But as unpleasant as it was, the possibility that Genesis had taken them could not be ignored. What could he be up to with those four _particular_ Materia? Nothing good.

 _I guess I have a detour to make before speaking with Angeal_. Sephiroth left the Mako Fusion Room in search of the errant 1st Class. _If he's even_ arrived _yet._

As luck would have it, not only was Genesis at Headquarters, he proved relatively easy to find. He'd commandeered one back corner of the lounge all to himself. Sephiroth couldn't decide if the isolation from the two female 3rd Classes was his friend's idea or theirs. Either way it worked to his advantage. He shot the women a pointed look and they quickly gathered their things before vacating the room.

Genesis, meanwhile, was doing an admirable job of ignoring him in favor of the book he was reading. Even from this distance, Sephiroth knew which one it would be. _LOVELESS_. His friend's obsession with that book was borderline unhealthy in his opinion. Why he'd picked it up again after almost three months' hiatus he couldn't say, but Sephiroth had no desire to get caught in yet another discussion into the 'meaning' of the epic poem's verses.

He crossed the room. Sure enough, his friend was a third of the way through the all too familiar volume. Without raising his eyes form the page, Genesis greeted him. "What do you want, Sephiroth?"

 _If one could call that a greeting._

Rather than make a big deal of the man's poor attitude, he chose to answer the question. And because he didn't have all day to waste, he kept his reply blunt.

"Have you been in the Mako Fusion Room these past two days?"

"What for?" Genesis shrugged, still reading. "It's not like we have any missions with Lazard keeping us on a tight leash lately. Why?"

The answer was too naturally delivered to be a lie. Meaning Genesis hadn't taken the Materia, either. Interesting. Not to mention irritating, as now he would have to widen his investigation. Likely start with the other 1st Classes. Perhaps they'd been using them for training authorized by Lazard. Sephiroth rather doubted it, but would ask all the same. Just in case his intuition was wrong. Intuition that was telling him that whoever had taken those Materia didn't have anyone's permission- least of all Lazard's.

And since he couldn't trust that Genesis might use this information to meet with the Director, or that he wouldn't use that discussion to let slip about the ongoing Leviathan investigation, Sephiroth decided not to mention the missing Materia. What should he say instead? Whatever it was, he wanted to be sure that his friend had no cause to go poking around the Mako Fusion Room for himself. A minute or two passed; coming up with an alternative reason that Genesis might believe proved to be more challenging than the thought.

"A situation unlikely to change for some time," he said at last. "I think it would be wise to keep out of anywhere other than the training rooms and other common areas until he does relent. Or we may be chained here even longer."

"No need to warn me off. I certainly have no intentions of doing much of anything."

"So I've noticed."

Genesis closed the book to stare directly at him. The smile he gave was sharp-edged and mocking.

"Well what did you expect if you cut me out?"

"I didn't cut you out, Genesis. You've done that all on your own. First with the whole business in Junon- and now with that fangirl."

" _Danita_ ," Genesis corrected him almost before he'd finished speaking. "Her name's Danita."

The ferocity in the man's tone was startling. If Sephiroth didn't know better, he'd think his friend was defensive on her behalf. His glance strayed to the book in Genesis' hands, suddenly alarmed at the possibility that his having taken up with it again might have some connection to his continued interest in the noxious fangirl. If he somehow thought she fit into the epic, he and Angeal would be in serious trouble. They'd _never_ be able to convince Genesis to give her up. Sephiroth hid his unease that that prospect beneath a bland mask of impassivity.

"Fine- Danita. Though a name hardly matters. I'd still recommend wrapping things up with her. You've had your fun, so let's get back to work."

Anger flashed in the man's eyes, if only for a second. Long enough for Sephiroth to admit that he'd erred- yet _again_ \- in his perception of Genesis' attachment for that woman. His friend didn't give him the opportunity to address it, either, focusing on the last half of what he'd said.

"I'm here to work, in case you haven't noticed. Just like I was here yesterday. Danita has no effect on my work."

"You weren't here last night when Angeal and I met to discuss reports from Costal del Sol. Where were you then, Genesis?"

The 1st Class' expression was answer enough. Thankfully, he didn't deny where he'd been, but nor did he address the question. Just stared sullenly in silence. A routine both familiar and irritating. Frustrated, Sephiroth resolved to end the conversation. While walking away, he glanced over his shoulder.

"You join us, Genesis, when you're ready to be a SOLDIER again."

And with that, he left. Didn't even wait for his friend to respond. _Let's hope my conversation with Angeal proves to be more productive._

5


	23. Chapter 23: A Matter of Perspective

As the three of them filed out of the Mayor's office, Zack couldn't help glancing sideways to Kunsel. But his friend was staring straight ahead, jaw set in a stubborn line. He couldn't entirely blame the man. He was just as furious having to watch that lecherous old coot pawing her, and he was only interested in her as a friend. For Kunsel, it had to be ten times worse. Especially since none of them could do anything about it. Not even Lilith herself.

They needed to Mayor's cooperation to complete this mission. Since yesterday afternoon, the noxious politician had made it quite clear that his cooperation came at a price. A price only she could pay. So they'd all just have to knuckle under and just be glad that tomorrow evening they'd be headed back to Midgar.

 _As if that'll be much better,_ Zack thought. _Then it'll be back to dealing with Genesis._

He didn't hold out much hope that the 1st Class was going to let up in tormenting them, regardless of what Angeal and Sephiroth did on that front. The best they could hope for was to keep getting assignments away from Midgar. But even that would work for only so long before they'd be at each other's throats again. Unless Genesis' fixation about Lilith could be transferred onto someone else. Zack recalled the encounter he and Luxiere had with the 1st Class in the bar. Out with Danita. And given that she was asking to meet Lilith, it sounded like the fangirl intended to stick around. Maybe that'd offer some relief for Kunsel.

 _Maybe not._

They exited the building. The Mayor headed directly for a long, black car parked outside. Its chauffer opened the passenger door and waited dutifully as the Mayor urged Lilith to get in first. Zack thought he saw the tiniest flash of panic cross her face, but she did as he bade her. The portly man squeezed in next to her, placing a hand on her right knee even as the chauffer slammed the door closed on the rest of them. Kunsel wasn't the only one whose temper was riled at that, and Zack had to refrain from decking the Mayor's assistant right in his prissy mouth.

"I'm afraid the car hired for the occasion cannot accommodate all of you."

"What about us, then?" Luxiere groused. "What are we supposed to do?"

"I have the name of the two establishments for today's schedule on this card. The first is not far from here, and you can arrive on time by taking a more direct route by foot. The car will need to maneuver in traffic."

Since they didn't have much of a choice, Zack snatched the card from the man and read the address on the front. Didn't recognize the name of the shop, but he did have a general idea where it was. The three of them turned their backs on the Mayor's aide and stalked off in the direction of the wharf. They cut through a few back alleys to save some time before emerging on the correct street.

Or at least it was according to the address he'd been given. Unlike yesterday, they weren't on the pier itself, but rather to one of the nearby districts. At best, one might call this the very edge of the city proper before getting to the waterfront. Zack wasn't sure what they were doing here if the point of today's appearances was to speak with businesses affected by the Leviathan attack. From what he could see, this area had been relatively untouched. No sign of damage- or fresh construction, either.

The car was nowhere in sight. Zack tried to contain his uneasiness as he waited with Luxiere and Kunsel. No easy task when the minutes crawled by with no sign of them. He had just pulled out his phone to send Lilith a message when the vehicle pulled up to the curb. The chauffer swung the door open, allowing the Mayor to step onto the side walk. Lilith emerged a second later. For the handful of seconds when the man's back was to her, the mask of cheerful cooperation vanished beneath a strained, hostile stare. Zack knew he didn't want to know what happened on the ride here to put that look on her face. If Kunsel knew what was best for him, he wouldn't ask, either.

 _But I know he will._

The Mayor turned to their friend, who'd already pasted a new smile over her true feelings. Mission leader or not, she shouldn't have to put up with this. Maybe this evening they could brainstorm a plan to give her some relief tomorrow. But in the meantime, not much he or the others could do. Just focus on getting through the morning as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, the Press photographers had arrived. No journalists this time, interestingly enough. Zack had almost hoped to see Roberts and Darrow from the _Junon Sentinel_ , but they were not among the group assembling on the sidewalk. Strangely enough, no one in that group seemed at all puzzled by the Mayor's choice in venue for this touchpoint with the business community.

A choice that he questioned even more once they'd all gone inside. Accustomed to running a quick assessment of a situation, Zack eyed the interior critically as he looked for any reason why the Mayor would have selected this place. Searching for indications that the shop was recovering from some kind of hardship. Any at all. But he saw nothing of the sort. Instead, he found shelves fully stocked and by the looks of the generous girth of the proprietor, no lack for business. What in the hell were they doing here?

"Mayor, sir," the man greeted with a forced cheerfulness. "I'm pleased to welcome you to my establishment."

The Mayor returned the greeting with some rehearsed platitude that grated on Zack's nerves. He sincerely hoped this was the last PR mission Angeal would send him on. Give him an enemy to fight anytime. But Lilith smiled and shook hands with the shop keeper as if she did this every day. Her tone, at least, remained sincere as she expressed her dismay that he had experienced losses during the Leviathan attacks.

Whatever the man might have answered was lost as the Mayor butted in, "We'll have plenty of time to discuss that, my dear, but first we should let these fine photographers do their work."

Beside him, Luxiere exhaled with a pained sigh that communicated very clearly that he didn't think much of the whole affair. Fortunately, no one else was near enough to hear it. When he was sure everyone's attention was elsewhere, Zack elbowed the 2nd Class in the ribs as a sharp reminder to behave himself. No matter how boring this was, they were here to represent Shinra and SOLDIER. He couldn't let word get back to Angeal that they'd been anything less than professional. Luxiere shot him a disgruntled look, but made a visible effort to appear more agreeable.

The photographers closed in on the trio- Mayor, shopkeeper and Lilith. Just like yesterday, the rest of them were largely ignored. Trotted over for a few group pictures and then left standing off to the side. The whole time, the Mayor asserted loudly that _this_ particular establishment represented the true spirit of Junon. That their hard work- not to mention the _generous_ support of the Mayor's office- had rebuilt the city to its former glory. Zack noted that every time he spoke those words, the shop's proprietor would echo them in affirmation.

 _Why do I get the feeling something about all this is…off?_

He would have raised that concern with Kunsel, except when he turned to his right, Zack found only an empty space. The man was simply gone. As if he'd never been there. Bewildered, Zack swept the room for signs of his friend. A first pass came up with nothing, but a second put him near one of the back shelves. A boy of fifteen or so stood next to him. As best he could tell, they appeared to be talking as the boy stocked goods, though he couldn't hear their conversation over the chatter of the photographers.

At some point, Kunsel looked in his direction. Zack frowned slightly at him, a silent cue that he was looking for some kind of explanation about what the 2nd Class was doing. Kunsel returned it with an almost imperceptible shake of his head as he turned back to the boy. Given that he couldn't go over there without causing a disturbance, Zack remained where he was. For the remainder of the photoshoot, he alternated keeping his eye on Lilith and then on Kunsel.

* * *

As soon as Sephiroth stepped through the door to Angeal's office, he knew he wasn't going to like what the 1st Class had to say. His dark-haired friend held several loose pages in his hands, but his discouraged frown was directed at the nearby window instead. It was a look that did not bode well in regards to any updates from the situation in Sector 7. Question was- would that news confirm his suspicions, or merely add more unknowns to their investigation of the Leviathan affair? Either way, Sephiroth didn't look forward to hearing it. Just like he knew Angeal wasn't going to like what _he_ had to tell him.

 _Might as well get on with it._

"Looks like your morning has been a trying one."

Angeal sighed wearily, laying down the duty roster he'd been holding and turning to face Sephiroth.

"The situation with the junior ranks and Genesis is not improving."

While not the response he had anticipated, Sephiroth couldn't say he was entirely surprised. Not after what he'd observed in the lounge a short while ago. But he was curious what prompted Angeal to offer that particular opinion. Likely something that happened during the morning briefing with the 2nd and 3rd Classes. He crossed the room to the window and leaned casually against the sill.

"The briefing, I take it?"

Angeal nodded.

"The subject of Fair and the others' absence came up. I was hoping it wouldn't, but given that I tasked Wendt with delivering messages for our meeting yesterday morning, hardly a shock that he and Glazer would connect the dots and start asking questions."

"And?" Sephiroth prompted before adding, "I very much doubt that it ended there, or you wouldn't be this troubled."

"You're right. To be blunt, they believe the Junon mission was just an excuse to send Kunsel away instead of dealing with Genesis. A belief shared by the rest of the group from what I could see."

While Angeal might be somewhat pessimistic about the situation, Sephiroth saw it from a slightly different perspective. Gave him insight into which SOLDIERs would be of most use to him, strategy-wise. He added Wendt and Glazer to his mental list for when he returned to the simulation room this afternoon. They hadn't been in the scenarios he'd run this morning, so he'd be curious to see what happened if he swapped them in for Essai and Sebastian, who hadn't performed well. Until Sephiroth analyzed those results, though, he chose not to mention that line of thinking to his friend.

"I suppose the truth can be inconvenient."

"More than just inconvenient, Sephiroth. Glazer was quite vocal in saying that they will force the issue with Shinra to the point something will _have_ to be done about Genesis."

 _Very interesting._

Sephiroth reflected on those words for a moment before asking, "And just what did the 2nd Class intend to do?"

"I don't know yet. I told him and Wendt to see me after their shift to discuss the matter in private. Not what I would have preferred to do, I'll admit."

"You could have pulled them from the mission to take care of it right away."

A course of action that he knew Angeal had often taken in the past. He suspected that he knew why it hadn't been an option this time, but wanted to see what his friend would say.

"I didn't have much of a choice," Angeal replied as he stood up to pace the room. "Our senior level 1st and 2nd Classes have already been assigned to other missions. Most of them aren't even in Midgar at the moment. It's not like we had the time to wait to have them recalled. I had to send what we had to deal with this Sector 7 attack."

Precisely the answer Sephiroth had expected. Not only that, but it allowed him to segue into the subject he'd come here to discuss. Tensions with the junior ranks was a concern, but not his primary focus today. Sephiroth was far more interested in what- if anything- Angeal had heard about Sector 7. He began with an avenue that guaranteed him the 1st Class' full attention, even though it wasn't an overly important one to him.

"Any word on what happened to the missing 3rd Class?"

"Barrington. Yes. The Turks found him. What was left of him, anyway."

Angeal's tone conveyed very clearly that he was disturbed by what he'd heard from Veld. Typical Angeal; always so concerned for everyone's welfare. Would never accept that death is a natural part of SOLDIER. Sephiroth saw the attitude as both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it freed him of the burden of pretending he cared so long as someone else did. On the other…it led to moments like this when the 1st Class would be unnecessarily distracted. But since he knew Angeal wouldn't let the matter go, he gestured for him to continue.

"Whoever was behind this butchered that boy. Carved him up like a jigsaw puzzle."

"A grim fate, I grant you, but were our dear friends able to tell you anything useful about the attack?"

"Not exactly. However…"

Angeal crossed behind his desk and pulled open a drawer. Likely to retrieve a report he didn't want to leave out in the open. But then he withdrew a key from his pocket and proceeded to fit it into a locking mechanism inside the drawer. Sephiroth couldn't see it from where he stood, and while curious, chose not to walk over for a closer look. Then Angeal reached into the compartment and lifted a cloth pouch by its drawstrings. Almost as if he didn't want to touch it. A few moments passed before he untied the cord and set the pouch down. The edges, no longer held shut, collapsed to reveal the contents inside. Sephiroth stared hard, not quite sure what to make of the object now resting on the reflective surface.

To the untrained eye, the sphere pulsing with restless energy might be mistaken for an unmastered copy of Cover Materia. It was the same size and same shade of light fuchsia. The sort merchants in the Wall market would sell to anyone who could afford the gil to pay for it. A bit surprising to think your average citizen could have had one, but even that could be explained if this were, in fact, Cover Materia.

But it _wasn't_.

Sephiroth knew the feel of Mako energy in all its forms. He'd spent his whole life around it. Spent countless hours studying it. Not to mention the experiments during his youth- first with Professor Gast and later with Hojo. All of it had given him an intimate knowledge of Mako, and by extension, the Materia created out of it. One key observation that had stuck with him to this day was its connection with the Planet and the Lifestream. Threads binding them together, imbued with sentient energy that always seemed to be resisting him. Like he was an unwelcome intruder- tolerated because he could not be overpowered.

That, perhaps, was the only mystery he still grappled with when it came to Mako. And was the reason he knew the sphere on Angeal's desk wasn't- _couldn't_ \- be Materia. Far from resisting him…it beckoned. Almost desperate in its desire to be used. As he probed the energy contained within the crystal, Sephiroth noted the absence any connection to the Lifestream. Cast out and rejected by it. Just as he often felt.

Sephiroth didn't even realize he'd crossed the room until his fingers brushed the sphere's cool surface. Unsettled, he drew back and turned his attention to Angeal. The other 1st Class was likewise staring as if he couldn't look away. At last, Sephiroth asked the question foremost on his mind.

"Where did that come from?"

"The Turks confiscated it from one of the men who'd led the attack."

"So we know who is behind this."

"No, Sephiroth. I'm afraid we don't."

He thought he'd misheard. Hoped he had. But the regret in Angeal's voice told him that he hadn't. Still, perhaps all wasn't completely hopeless. Just because _they_ didn't know anything didn't mean that someone in Shinra wouldn't. Sephiroth wouldn't put it past the Turks to keep anything they'd learned from their captive to themselves. At _best_ they'd inform the Director. Not a great start, but something he could work with.

"Might be a few days before the Turks are done with their interrogation and have any viable intelligence. I suppose we might get the details out of Lazard after he's been briefed."

"If only that were the case. Whoever the man was, he chose death over surrender. The Turks found this when they searched the body. This and nothing else."

"Nothing that might have given an identity."

"Precisely."

Sephiroth didn't doubt that Angeal was telling him the truth. Or that Veld had said his team had been unable to capture their quarry in time. But he wasn't as confident that the Turk was as honest as his friend. After all, he was the leader of an intelligence agency. The holders and safe-guarders of Shinra's secrets. And so he couldn't help thinking a suicide was a little too tidy of an end. Nor could he believe that a Turk would have been so careless to have failed a mission. And yet…

"I'm curious why they were so eager to give us their only evidence, then."

"To them, they didn't think it was worth keeping. Thought it might have come from the Mako Infusion Room and were merely returning it."

"It's not Materia, Angeal."

"I know." He drew an inward breath and let it out again. "I don't know what it is."

"Neither do I. And until we discover what this is, I think it best not to store it with the rest of the Mako. Or let anyone else know we have it."

A beat of silence followed before Angeal could bring himself to give words to what Sephiroth was implying.

"Including Genesis."

"Yes, especially Genesis."

Reluctantly, Angeal nodded. He didn't have to like the decision, but Sephiroth was glad that he had the sense to agree.

"Any thoughts as to where might be the safest place for this?"

Sephiroth's first inclination was to insist that he would take possession of the orb. If he kept it in his apartment, the chances of anyone like Genesis or Lazard coming into contact with it were impossible. It would also give him more time to study it- find out what it was. In the end, though, he rejected the idea. Sephiroth found he distrusted the powerful lure of the unknown sphere. Better not to have it so close.

"You seemed to have a secure place for it in your desk," he suggested. "I see no reason why it shouldn't remain here."

While Angeal didn't look entirely comfortable with the idea, he did not argue, either. He picked up the drawstrings and closed the bag around the crystal orb. Sephiroth ignored a ripple of misgiving as the bag sank out of sight and into the drawer compartment once more. By way of distraction, he used the topic of Materia to bring up his findings in the Mako Fusion Room.

"Speaking of Materia that isn't where it should be…I think you ought to know that four have vanished from the company inventory since yesterday."

Angeal said nothing at all while resetting the mechanism concealing the compartment and sliding the drawer closed. With a different key, he locked that. Only when both keys were safely returned to a pocket on the man's person did he address the matter.

"And you suspect Genesis."

"No, actually." Angeal's eyebrows rose, but he let Sephiroth continue. "I already spoke with him- not that they were missing, but about the room in general. I'm convinced he hasn't been inside since we returned from Junon."

"So someone else, then."

"Materia doesn't just walk away on its own. Not from behind a locked casement keeping them from unauthorized use."

That drew the 1st Class' undivided attention, his head snapping up to stare directly at Sephiroth.

"Just which copies have gone missing?"

"The mastered copies of Restore and Seal would have been worrisome enough, but Contain and Manipulate are gone as well."

The man swore under his breath and raked a hand through his hair. He had good reason to be upset. If word of this reached Lazard, it'd be a bad business for them for letting it happen. Creating a master copy of those Materia was not cheaply done. Not as difficult as others, but no trivial loss if they couldn't be recovered.

"Do you think one of the junior SOLDIERs stole them?"

"Someone certainly did."

"Any ideas for finding out who?"

"A few. Let me investigate. Quietly. If I don't flush out the culprit by tomorrow, we'll regroup to discuss our options." When Angeal would have argued, Sephiroth pressed the point. "Right now, you have enough to handle with Glazer and Wendt. Handle that situation- we both know you're better suited to it of the two of us. I'll deal with the Materia situation."

That argument won over his friend's objections.

"Yeah, all right. I guess it's as good a plan as any right now."

Sephiroth almost left it at that, but before he left, he figured he owed his friend the courtesy of a warning about what _else_ he'd discovered this morning.

"On the subject of Genesis…"

"Oh what's he done _now_?"

"It's not so much what he's _done_ , per se. But you ought to know he's been reading _LOVELESS_ again."

Angeal offered no comment to that, maintaining a grim, unwavering stare. He didn't need to say anything. Didn't need to voice the concerns those words raised in light of the dubious relationship developing between Genesis and that fangirl, Danita. Or what it might spur their friend to do.

* * *

"Well, I think we've imposed on this gentleman long enough," the Mayor announced after it became obvious he was growing bored. With a smile at Lilith, he added, "Our next appointment awaits."

She dutifully allowed him to take her arm again. By the time the photographers had packed their things, Kunsel had resumed his place at Zack's side.

"What was all that about," he muttered under his breath.

"What was what?"

"What do you think? The stock boy. You two seemed to be having quite the conversation."

They filed out of the building. Lilith and Mayor were already getting into the car, but Kunsel waited until the door had closed and the driver had pulled away before he replied.

"Thought perhaps I could generate some interest if I showed some interaction with the kid." His friend shrugged and started walking in the direction of their next meeting. "Didn't work, but it was worth a try to remind everyone that Shinra did send _four_ SOLDIERs to Junon."

Now Zack hesitated, darting an uneasy glance to Luxiere before deciding he had to ask the question.

"Are you just trying to divert the Mayor's attention, or are you thinking…" He couldn't quite phrase his question and tried again. "What exactly _are_ you saying, man?"

"I'm saying that maybe it wouldn't hurt to grab some recognition of our own on this mission; Lilith doesn't seem inclined to share."

A long pause followed. They walked a few blocks until Luxiere broke the silence with a comment of his own.

"That's not-" Zack cuffed him sharply as a warning that they were on a public street. The younger man coughed and lowered his voice. "That's not what you were saying yesterday when we got here."

"I know what I said."

"So are you changing your mind about the decision to make her mission leader?"

"No, that's _not_ my point," Kunsel argued heatedly. "Lilith's doing what needs to be done. Doing what none of us would _ever_ be expected to do."

A statement that made Zack wonder again just what happened last night. He was about to ask, but Luxiere was too quick for him to get a word in. His friend held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Hey, just asking."

"Yeah, well…"

"Guys," Zack cut in. "Let's keep a level head. Kunsel, Lux didn't mean anything other than to figure out what you meant, okay? He wasn't-" he threw a particularly quelling look in Luxiere's direction- "saying that we should oust Lilith in favor of one of us."

Nearly a block passed them by; no one said anything. At least when they turned the corner for the next shop, the car had already arrived. Zack didn't see anyone with it, and assumed that Lilith and the Mayor must be inside. He assumed wrong. They were only a half dozen steps from the vehicle when the chauffer jumped out and went about his duties. The Mayor looked somewhat annoyed as he hoisted himself out of the backseat, followed by Lilith. She didn't look in their direction, so Zack couldn't get a read on her mood.

This time they didn't wait for the photographers to arrive, heading straight for the entrance. Zack figured they had a good five or ten minutes before they might be needed for anything. Now might be a good time to have a talk with Kunsel. Privately. He let Luxiere follow the others inside, but held Kunsel back. The 2nd Class raised an eyebrow at him.

"All right, Zack, apparently you've something to say. So go on and say it."

"Level with me. What's going on between you and Lilith?"

"Nothing. Friends. Just as we've always been."

"Look- I know she went to talk to you back in Midgar."

"Yeah. So?"

"So I would have thought you might have taken that opportunity to tell her that you wanted more. And given the way you've been acting on the mission, I thought maybe…"

"Maybe it's none of your business."

Those tersely spoken words effectively shut down the subject. Not that Zack had expected to get very far. _Certainly farther than this, though._ But regardless of whether or not anything was going on between those two, he still felt honor bound to bring up the points that had troubled him last night. For the good of the whole team as much as for Kunsel himself.

"Maybe it isn't," he agreed before continuing on. "But Kunsel…you need to get a grip on whatever this is. Over the past few weeks- and especially here recently- you've been making some decisions that are, quite frankly, reckless. Especially where Lilith's concerned. It's dangerous- and not just for you."

He watched for signs that Kunsel registered any of what he'd had to say. The man's expression was a stone wall. Hardly promising. Although he doubted that anything was getting through, Zack forged ahead, anyway.

"I mean…the fight with Genesis."

"I had my reasons."

"I know you did. That doesn't mean it wasn't a risk that couldn't be avoided. Did it even occur to you that Lux and I could have just as easily been seriously injured trying to keep Genesis from killing you?"

"Didn't ask for your help."

Kunsel's wooden reply really got under Zack's skin.

"So what- you just expected us to stand by and let it happen? We're your friends, Kunsel. Friends stand up for one another, even if it'll come at a cost. And I'm damn certain you wouldn't have just stood by if it were Lux or me on the receiving end. So don't give me that bullshit."

Blunt words. They must have caught the 2nd Class by surprise, and managed to crack his façade a little.

"No, I wouldn't have, and I get your point. I did sort of drag you both into my problems with Genesis. But I still don't see why you're bringing this up now."

"Because your decision to leave the pub last night was equally risky- one that could have ended in a thousand disastrous ways. You up and left without knowing the situation or what you might have been facing. Alone."

"Didn't hear you arguing with me at the time," Kunsel pointed out.

"It wouldn't have done any good. You were determined to go whether I agreed or not. It was best not to look divided in front of Lux."

"So you think I should have just stayed and done nothing."

"I'm saying that before you rushed off, it might have been better to have explored our options. Hell, at the very least, you could have stayed in contact so we knew what was going on. You know as well as I do how they drill into us about communicating with your team. Suppose Lilith did get mixed up in something dangerous and it was more than you could handle. What were you going to do then?"

No reaction.

"I guess it's fortunate that question didn't need answered, since nothing serious came of last night." Zack wasn't entirely certain how true those words were even as he said them. The next ones were going to be harder; Zack knew he had to say them. Even if he didn't want to. "But if it had- and Lazard or the 1st Classes heard that you ignored the fundamentals of training…even if you came out of it all right in the end, that'd be the end of your career in SOLDIER. Because you reacted out of emotional attachment instead of military protocol."

They stared at one another as those words died on the breeze. Whatever ground he'd won from the Genesis debate had been lost again. At last, Kunsel asked dispassionately, "Were you finished?"

"All I'm saying, man, is to be careful and not to lose perspective."

* * *

 _Wonder what that was about,_ Luxiere thought absently as Zack and Kunsel hung back. _Bet I wouldn't know any more if I'd stuck around to find out. They'd have just told me to wait inside._

He wasn't stupid. He knew that his two friends sometimes treated him like a new recruit instead of a 2nd Class. Left out of important conversations until something applied directly to him. Times like now. It got on his nerves. But on the flipside…Luxiere couldn't quite blame them. He was impulsive and prone to opening his mouth when he shouldn't. Traits that didn't play well with sensitive information.

 _Lilith would tell me that if I ever want to make 1_ _st_ _Class I have to work on that._ _Had_ told him at least once already, in fact. A few months ago when he'd been complaining to her about not being taken seriously. She'd been especially frank that if he wanted respect he had to earn it by showing that he was serious in return. A point he couldn't argue in light of the assignments for this mission. _Serious seems to get you picked to be mission leader._

Luxiere watched the Mayor fawn over Lilith and couldn't help adding dismally, _although I doubt that doughy blowhard is interested in respect or anything to do with being 'serious'._ Kunsel's comment about what she was expected to do on this mission had stuck with him from the walk here. Made him regret his attitude and some of the things he'd said about her last night at the Kettlewood. As usual, he hadn't been thinking and made assumptions before he understood the full situation. His friend had been right to be annoyed with him.

Zack and Kunsel walked in; neither looked overly happy with the outcome of their private chat. And since Luxiere didn't want a lecture about minding his own business, he opted not to ask about it. They sided up next to him in silence, eyes on Lilith and the Mayor. Kunsel's gaze was especially intense. Had been all morning. The one-man crusade when it came to looking out for her. Too bad she didn't seem to notice.

The photographers arrived shortly after his friends, allowing the show to get underway. They repeated the same song and dance with this place as they'd done at the last one. More mind numbing prattle from the shop owner about incoming goods and sales projections. Luxiere didn't see how any of it mattered at all, and was glad not to be the one pretending to care about any of it.

At last, the Mayor deemed the meeting had gone on long enough. He thanked the shop keeper and ushered their whole group back on to the street. The same long, black car sat waiting at the curb, engine running. The photographers scampered off in various directions, presumably to get their materials to print in time for the evening editions. Passersby regarded their assembly with wary curiosity, many of them choosing to cross the street rather than try to squeeze by.

Luxiere waved cheerfully to a little girl who looked to be little older than five or six, who was tugging on her mother's skirt and pointing in their direction. Not surprisingly, the mother quickly ushered the child along. He tried not to feel a pang of dejection that Zack had been right yesterday- that the people saw them as inhuman weapons instead of people. And while he was distracted by those thoughts, he nearly missed the Mayor's comments.

"…very productive morning."

"It would seem the businesses we've spoken with today are doing well," Lilith replied with a smile. "Although I had hoped to meet with those more closely linked to the docks, who would have been most impacted by the Leviathan attacks."

"Of course, of course. And if I could have arranged it, that would have been my preference as well, my dear. But-" he shook his head regretfully- "you must understand that those hard-working people keep very different schedules. They are simply not able to take an hour or two during regular business hours."

Lilith was not deterred in the least.

"Oh but my colleagues and I would be happy to meet any time that is convenient. Ours is not a nine-to-five day."

The Mayor looked visibly flustered, the redness suffusing his cheeks and nose a dead giveaway. For several minutes, he couldn't form the words to reply. Likely trying to find some excuse why he wouldn't have to upset _his_ precious schedule. Lilith remained placidly indifferent to the politician's obvious discomfort. If she understood the man's predicament, she didn't show it. Just stood there with a look both expectant and earnest. Luxiere resisted the urge to snicker to himself.

At last, the Mayor patted her arm and dismissed her with an incredibly condescending remark.

"A commendable sentiment, my dear, but I couldn't be responsible for what might befall a lady like you if you met with those types."

Lilith frowned slightly, "But I thought you said they were hard-working? Where's the cause for concern?"

Again, she'd thrown the Mayor off-guard. Luxiere knew damn well that she understood what the politician had been implying. They all knew. He had to admit that her strategy was a good one. Play up the Mayor's perception of her as less intelligent and weak because she was a woman by pretending she didn't understand.

It was a way of arguing without the confrontation. He watched as the man floundered to offer an explanation that would derail the conversation and yet wouldn't force him to say anything too inflammatory.

"Hard working, yes. But the dock workers and merchants tend to be a rough crowd."

He'd been so focused on the exchange between Lilith and the Mayor that he forgot about Zack and Kunsel. The former must have decided he'd had more than enough, and chose that moment to make a point of his own.

"The four of us are accustomed to handling all situations. Rough manners isn't a concern."

For all the good _that_ did. The portly little man leveled a haughty glare at his friend, clearly displeased at the interruption.

"I'm well aware of the nature of _your_ expertise. In the interest of keeping this endeavor _peaceful_ , you will all abide by _my_ recommendations concerning any meeting with _my_ constituents."

 _Well, that sure puts us in our place, doesn't it?_

Luxiere snuck a peek at Zack to gauge his reaction to the Mayor's rebuke. He was calm, but a muscle clenched in his jaw betrayed that he'd been affronted by the implication that they couldn't be trusted. With good reason. It was nothing short of an insult. Pure and simple. No one should _ever_ talk to a SOLDIER with that sort of disrespect. Certainly not a 2nd Class of Zack's caliber. He was practically on the verge of becoming a 1st Class like Angeal. And to be talked down to that way…

"Oh I'm sure there won't be any trouble," Lilith insisted. "What my colleague meant was that SOLDIER has trained us to blend in and adapt to a variety of situations. We're not likely to be offended if the floors aren't made of marble, or by a lack of fancy talk."

The Mayor turned back to her and smiled indulgently. As if she were a naïve child who couldn't possibly know what she was saying.

"I commend you for your fervent defense of your friends, but I'm afraid I must insist that you leave this very important decision to me. Trust that I am only looking out for everyone's best interest."

Luxiere fought the urge to voice his opinion with what would have been a very rude snort; it wasn't easy. Lilith had an easier time masking her reaction, shrewdly playing up her disappointment to hide what he suspected was a volcano of indignant fury. And although she nodded in agreement, he couldn't help wondering if she might decide to ignore the Mayor's decision in favor of setting up a few unsanctioned visits to the Junon wharf tonight. Hell, he almost hoped she _would_. That might prove to be interesting, at least.

The conversation seemed to come to a stalemate. They still had a few more stops on this wretched tour, though, and Luxiere hoped that they could just get on with it.

"Fair? Zack Fair?"

Zack glanced behind him, and Luxiere did the same. A black-haired youth of thirteen hovered a few feet away, looking up at them uncertainly. Luxiere didn't recognize him, and as far as he could tell, neither did Zack. Could be from one of the fan clubs- a kid wanting an autograph. But he didn't think so, judging by the way his eyes kept darting nervously. Since the Mayor's attention was once again solely on Lilith, his friend acknowledged the boy with an easy smile.

"That I am, my young friend. What can I do for you?"

"I came to deliver a message."

"Oh? From who?"

"You met them yesterday," the boy answered cryptically. "On the docks. They asked you some questions."

Those reporters. Roberts and Darrow. Strange that they would have sent this boy to deliver a message instead of coming themselves. Actually, Luxiere found it odd that the reporters hadn't been here at all during the interviews. This seemed like the kind of thing that would have interested the Press. But he kept his mouth shut and let Zack handle it.

"I think I know who you mean. Reporters who'd asked for some background about the battle last month?"

A slight nod.

"And what message did they give you?"

"They asked me to tell you that it'd be worth your time to visit their offices. Around the corner and down the next block."

Luxiere caught Zack's raised eyebrow and shrugged. He had to admit that his curiosity was likewise peaked. His friend returned his attention to the boy and asked, "And the timing of this visit would be…?"

"Now, sir."

"We're in the middle of a tour of the district with the Mayor- would we be able to stop by later this afternoon?"

"I'm afraid not, sir. They were very specific. If you're interested, it has to be now."

Zack was silent, obviously torn about what he should do. This proposed meeting with Roberts and Darrow sounded as though it might be far more worthy of their time here in Junon than this stupid PR bullshit. But he couldn't just abandon their mission- not to mention Lilith. The messenger shifted from foot to foot, waiting anxiously for their reply.

"Go on," Kunsel directed them in a curt whisper, even though he'd yet to take his eyes off Lilith. "I can keep watch over things here and text you when it looks like we're on the move."

"And if he notices we're gone?"

"Assuming he notices anything more than three feet in front of him, I'll come up with some excuse. Trust me, it won't take much."

"Well, if you're sure."

"Would you just go already?"

Zack shrugged his shoulders. "All right then. Lux, you coming, too?"

"Oh _hell_ yeah I'm coming."

5


	24. Chapter 24: Divided

They'd been digging through rubble and twisted steel beams all morning. Alec could taste the layers of dust every time he breathed, sure that it had turned his naturally black hair nearly grey. The rest of his team fared little better. Jekke's blonde, close-cropped locks were streaked with grease and dirt. Mattias, Abby and Fallon looked even worse, having been assigned most of the grunt work.

 _And what do we have to show for it,_ he asked himself. _Nothing._

They hadn't found any survivors in the wreckage. Just a half dozen bodies so pulverized and burned in the explosion that Alec wasn't sure how the city would be able to identify them. They may not bother to at all and just declare everyone from this block missing. Easier than hours trying to reconstruct the grisly remains. He certainly didn't feel at ease near them. And odd reaction, given that he'd seen dead bodies before. Battlefields were chuck full of them, mangled just as badly. But something about these…the hairs rose on the back of his neck just looking at them.

Mattias had just finished with the last sweep on this floor. They'd started with every structure- he could hardly call them _buildings_ \- above ground. No thanks to Jekke. She'd stumbled upon the entrance to a basement level when they arrived and had immediately argued that they should search it first. Alec had shut down that idiotic idea double quick. In the very likely event of a cave in, they had _some_ chance of surviving above ground. Alec had no interest in being buried alive. Not for what he expected to be another empty-handed search.

 _I don't know why Hewley thought this would be any use. We'd have been far more help as a secondary team for Jesse and the others._

So he'd convinced his team they'd revisit the basement issue if the area seemed stable after they'd finished up here. Really, he was just hoping that Jekke would give up on the idea after a few hours of scrounging in this wreckage. And since they'd cleared the last of it, Alec supposed now was the time to find out if the ladies had had enough. He whistled sharply to draw everyone's attention. They threaded through the chaotic debris with care until everyone had come together in a makeshift clearing that had once been the lobby of a tailor store.

"All right everyone- report," he commanded. "Mattias? You and Fallon find anything?"

"Nothing at all," the 3rd Class attested. "Unless you want to count another three corpses half-buried under that pile of steel beams over there. They must have been trying to escape before the blast took out the building- all of them sliced to ribbons by the windows when they shattered."

Alec nodded grimly before shifting his attention to Jekke.

"And what of you and Abby?"

Jekke narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed. He couldn't say why. Probably something or other about him taking lead position on the mission even though they were both 2nd Classes. Never mind that he'd advanced well over a year ago and she'd only just come up the ranks in the past two months.

 _And I can bet I know how she managed that,_ he thought with a suppressed snicker. _The same way they all do- either on their backs…or their knees._

Wasn't that easy to get ahead for _real_ SOLDIERs like him and Mattias. So when Angeal forced him to work with these glorified fangirls, Alec was quick to put them in their place. If Jekke didn't like it, he didn't really care. He merely raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her report.

"Same, minus the bodies," she told him grudgingly.

"I figured as much. Whatever might have been here is long gone. If anything was here at all in the first place."

"Might be something below that survived the explosion."

She wasn't going to let that go. Alec judged whether he could find some justification not to venture down there. One that would shut her up. No chance. Jekke was already expecting him to brush off the idea in favor of returning to HQ. She crossed her arms in an open challenge. He really didn't want to waste any more time here, but he couldn't risk she might tell Angeal if they weren't thorough. _A token search it is, then._

"Two teams," he began. "You, Abby and Fallon can scout the entryway while Mattias and I forge deeper into the structure."

Jekke drew an inward breath, already making ready to protest the assignments.

"I don't want to be dragging the three of you out of there if the whole thing collapses. So this is how it's going to be."

With that, he gestured to Mattias to follow him to the narrow crevice of what remained of a stairwell. Together, they shifted the massive cement slab away from the hole to allow them to access the stairs below. Alex could feel the dagger of Jekke's glare at his back, but he ignored her pique. It's not like she really wanted to do the serious work, anyway, and would get over it soon enough.

Very little light filtered down to this level once they'd gone some distance from the stairwell. Alec pulled out a flashlight; Mattias did the same. Their piercing beams cut across the blackness, illuminating just how badly the structure had suffered. Supports holding the roof above them showed massive cracks and fissures. Some had crumbled altogether. Parts of the floor were lost in bottomless sinkholes- perhaps straight through the plate to the undercity.

 _We shouldn't be down here._

Beside him, Mattias murmured a prayer to Gaia before muttering, "This place is little better than a death trap."

"You don't have to tell _me_ that," Alec complained under his breath. " _She's_ the one who wouldn't listen to reason."

"Which is why you don't put their kind in charge. Got no sense for leadership."

Alec glanced over his shoulder to ensure that their three helpless teammates were still at the entrance. As far as he could tell, they were obeying his orders. Still, it didn't pay to be too careless, so he kept his voice low when he made his reply.

"Bet that's why Rhapsodos wouldn't have anything to do with her. Probably thought she could order him around."

"Never had a go with her myself- her looks run too butch for my tastes. Wouldn't put it past her to be the type, though."

They circled what might have been a large cabinet, now turned on its side. The doors had splintered from the hinges, leaving a gaping hole. Alec shone his flashlight inside half-heartedly. Nothing but a pile of broken, charred shelving. He straightened up again and kept walking towards the rear section of the room. Meanwhile, Mattias had moved on from the subject of Jekke, though he kept to the same general theme.

"That Abby, though," he countered with a conspiratorial grin. "She's a good time and then some. Am I right?"

"Never had the pleasure."

"You're missing out. Girl's a freak in bed. Does stuff you can't imagine. And with you being a 2nd Class- I bet you could get anything you want."

"Quite the recommendation."

"Give her a try and see if I'm exaggerating."

Alec would certainly consider it. Especially after a miserable day like today. He could use a good dose of stress relief.

"I'll do that, man. If you were, you'll owe me big, though."

"If she's not all I said, I'll take your next watch day."

"Deal."

* * *

For the thousandth time, I held in the blistering rejoinder that hovered on the tip of my tongue. This whole morning had been nothing but 'my dear' this and 'my dear' that. Patronizing me with false smiles and even falser words. False because I knew the true character of the man hidden beneath them. At the moment, I wasn't sure which version of him I'd rather be dealing with. Only the knowledge that this mission would be ruined if the Mayor recalled why I was here tipped the scale in favor of the façade.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zack and Luxiere walk away from our group. _Now where in the hell are_ they _off to?_ While pretending to listen to the Mayor explain yet again how he was merely looking out for my welfare, I darted a quick look to Kunsel to see if he was aware of their intentions. Given that his focus was squarely on me, I had my doubts. Without letting the Mayor see, I pointed to Zack and Luxiere's retreating backs. Wasn't much, but enough to get my question across. Kunsel's return signal communicated to me not to be concerned.

 _I guess I'll find out where they went later._

I realized belatedly that the Mayor had said something that required a response. Fortunate that he thought me to be an empty-headed female, and so I could pass off my inattention as if it wasn't deliberate. In truth, this could be an opportunity for the invitation I needed if I played my answer in the right way. I forced another smile and chose my next words carefully.

"I'm sure the citizens of Junon rest easy knowing they have such a staunch advocate for their safety."

Puffed up by my praise, the Mayor preened as he agreed with me, "Quite so, quite so. It's a most taxing job, but I wouldn't dream of giving it up for an easier position. The heavy responsibility must fall on me."

 _Not to mention all of the money and power that goes with it. I'm sure those interest you far more than the responsibility._

Exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Zack and Luxiere were gone, and Kunsel was maintaining a reasonable distance that would suggest he couldn't follow what was going on. Now was the time to test whether the Mayor might be interested. Especially since his last comment had given me a perfect opportunity to broach the subject. That is, if I made the most of it before he could steer the conversation in another direction.

"I'm sure the job comes with its _rewards_ that make the burden worthwhile."

At my obvious emphasis on 'rewards', the lightbulb switched on in his head. Oh yes, he knew _exactly_ what kind I meant. Good. The less time I spent bringing him up to speed, the better. And if I wasn't mistaken by the eagerness in his expression, the odious man was interested in repeating the ones he thought he'd gotten last night.

"A very astute observation, my dear," he praised me while shifting to stand even closer to me. I didn't dare look at Kunsel, not wanting to see his reaction. "And if I didn't know better, I would think you had the power to read my thoughts."

 _Like a clock._ Rather than let on that I knew where his mind had gone, I feigned as though I was genuinely puzzled.

"Oh?"

He chuckled, taken in by the routine. Or perhaps he wasn't, and merely amused himself by pretending as well. I didn't like that I couldn't discern one way or the other. Real or not, the Mayor's acceptance of my act was of little consequence in his eagerness to enlighten me. I braced myself against what I was sure would be an unpleasant experience.

"Last night," he said with undisguised smugness. "I would consider your skills _very_ rewarding."

Well, at least I knew how to play _this_ game. What he expected me to say next.

"I can hardly take _all_ the credit, sir."

Likewise, the Mayor knew his lines.

"Very flattering, my dear, but I must concede that a lovely lady such as yourself contributed the lion's share."

He didn't know how true that statement was, given that the whole experience was nothing more than a memory I implanted into his brain. And to that I could only smile, though it still wasn't easy. Not when he had swallowed up any space between us and was groping my ass with his right hand. Right there on the open street where anyone could have seen it. Well, not Kunsel, to my relief; he was standing at the wrong angle.

My silence encouraged the Mayor to suggest, "Skills that I would be pleased to experience again if you were of the mind to slip away from your three chaperones for the evening."

Chaperones. Like I was a child unable to venture into the city alone. _Not so much of a child if you're inviting me to spend the night letting you fuck my brains out. Although,_ I added in afterthought, _perhaps that isn't a concern on his part._ It hadn't mattered for others. A truth I'd observed as a child of the slums, watching my peers offered- or coerced into- arrangements with adults easily three or four times their age. I'd always been especially wary to steer clear of _those_ types.

"I might be persuaded," I demurred with a shrug. "But it won't be easy to explain why I am staying in the room two nights in a row."

"A predicament that can be easily remedied, if I may be of assistance."

"What would you propose?"

"Having congenial company of their own should easily distract your friends from wondering about your whereabouts."

Which showed just how little he thought of SOLDIER. No respect for our dedication to the mission- just throw a few fangirls at us and we'll forget all about it. Appalling. I was insulted on the guys' behalf that he would actually think this tactic would work on them. Okay, _maybe_ Luxiere might be tempted, but even he knew where to draw the line with the job. Never a chance in a million years for the other two…for obvious reasons. It was a tactic designed for failure.

"Oh I don't think…"

"I happen to know a number of ladies who would gladly spend an evening with a SOLDIER," he insisted, overruling my objection. "Suggest going out- the four of you- to a nightclub in town. Let's say the Mystique. When you arrive, they'll be waiting."

The idea had come too readily to have been spur of the moment, and his imperious tone cemented my impression that adopting his plan was not optional. I was immediately wary, and suspected he had another agenda in sending those cherry-picked fangirls. One that had something to do with the Leviathan attack that the 1st Classes sent me here to investigate. If the Mayor really _was_ involved in all that, I could see him sending spies in our midst. If nothing more than to keep us away from the waterfront. Only I had the advantage of last night's encounter to warn me of that possible intent- an advantage I knew I had to exploit if I could.

 _Going to be tricky to get the guys on board with this without an explanation of why._ But it would be worse than that. Kunsel would have to remain with them if I hoped to get anything useful out of the endeavor. _He's going to put up one hell of an argument when I tell him he won't be my back up tonight._

A bridge to cross when I got to it. But we couldn't afford to turn down an opportunity to identify potential operators involved with the Leviathan attack. Hopefully, Kunsel would agree with me.

"A marvelous idea, sir."

"Now I thought we'd agreed yesterday that you would call me Gerald?"

"Oh, well, I thought it best to keep a professional front while we're in a public setting." _As professional as I can be when you can't control your wandering hands._ "Wouldn't want to cause a scandal for you or for Shinra by being careless."

That reminder seemed to make an impression and his hand dropped to his side. In particular, the mention of Shinra. The Mayor could pay off any inquiries if this were just about him- and likely had dozens of times. But whispers of a Shinra connection was more of a risk than he wanted to take on. I filed that information away for safekeeping. Never know where it might lead in my investigation.

"Very considerate of you, my dear." He took a step to the side and signaled to the car. "Why don't I make the arrangements for the evening? If you'll provide me with your number, I'll have a message relayed to you about the details."

No choice. As much as I loathed the idea of giving this scum my number, I had no alternative. I didn't even know the number at our hotel to use as a front. So I told him and prayed when all this was over I wouldn't need to change it. The Mayor, meanwhile, flashed another of his false smiles at me.

"Excellent. Excellent. Well, then I think we can forego the rest of our appointments until we see each other later. A reunion I eagerly await."

"The feeling is mutual," I answered, hoping my tone was less dolorous as I felt.

With our goodbyes made, the Mayor swaggered off to his car and left me standing on the sidewalk. Once it pulled out of sight, Kunsel lost no time crossing over to stand next to me. Only I didn't notice. At least not right away, too absorbed in thoughts of how to plan for tonight. Might have stood there for at least a minute or two, and then he laid a hand on my shoulder.

* * *

Lilith flinched.

Not in a genuinely startled way, but actually cringed in physical discomfort. Kunsel jerked his hand away immediately.

"Sorry, I didn't think-"

He really hadn't been. Which was the only reason he was able to suppress injured feelings at her reaction; he should have known better than to touch her. That and knowing her withdrawal now had nothing to do with _him_. No, he knew exactly what- or rather _who_ \- was responsible. Junon's most esteemed Mayor. Given that he'd spent the whole morning pawing at her, Kunsel was more inclined to see him no differently from all the other lowlifes sponging off the bottom rung of society. Maybe worse, since he didn't bother to hide his crude behavior in public.

 _And I'm sure the car was far worse. Just as I'm sure she'll try to say this is all nothing._

"No need to apologize." Lilith turned so that they were facing one another. "I'm fine. Really."

He would have liked to have been wrong. Just once. Not this time, it would seem. And calling out that she clearly wasn't fine would be a waste of time they really didn't have. Kunsel would table the discussion for later. They were definitely going to talk about it before going to the Mayor's office tonight. Because- and Lilith could argue all she liked about it- they had other options if keeping up this charade was unbearable. Several options, in fact, that wouldn't require her to keep debasing herself like this. And Kunsel intended to point them out to her.

Right now, though, they had caught a few minutes alone to regroup. He ought to make the most of them.

"I would have thought the Mayor would insist you go with him to the next stop."

"It's been cancelled."

"I beg your pardon…cancelled?"

"Yes. In fact, the remaining three appointments for this afternoon have been cancelled."

He digested that news for a minute before asking, "Was that his doing or yours?"

"I suppose you could say both," Lilith remarked with a sigh. "I think he was growing bored and was looking for an excuse not to continue. I went and gave him one when I opened the door to a second after-hours invitation."

"And he…?"

"Grabbed the opportunity with both hands."

Kunsel wasn't certain, but he thought she might have muttered 'quite literally' under her breath. He pretended not to notice and kept the conversation on logistics.

"When is he expecting you?"

"I don't know yet. He cancelled the afternoon appointments to make the arrangements. Said someone from his office would contact me about details."

"So you have no idea what'll be in store for us tonight." Lilith hedged, momentarily shifting her gaze to the busy street around them. She didn't seem to want to answer. "Lilith?"

"You won't like it," she admitted finally.

If she thought that would deter him, she was mistaken. Kunsel didn't say a word. Just leveled an expectant stare at her and waited until Lilith gave in.

"Okay, okay. The plan is to arrange for some devoted fangirls to provide a distraction so I can slip away unnoticed." In a half-mumble, she added, "By all three of you."

"Well that's not happening."

"I told you you wouldn't like it."

"It's not a matter of liking it, Lilith. Unless I'm missing something- _doubtful_ , to say the least- that plan undoes just about everything you and I discussed last night. How could you agree to such an idea? How did you expect _me_ to agree?"

"I didn't have a choice," she argued tersely. "It's already set and if I said no, he'd only become suspicious."

"Then I guess we'll have to sort out some way to deal with one of the girls so I can be at the Mayor's office."

"Actually…it might be better if you stayed with the guys. I think the women he's sending might be involved in whatever he's trying to conceal from Shinra. Maybe they know something useful. Zack and Luxiere can't help ferret out what that might be, but _you_ could."

"Might. Maybe."

"I know, it's not ideal. A longshot, even."

"And what if they're just fangirls like he said? It's not worth the risk."

"I have the Materia from Headquarters. I'll be fine."

He'd intended to drop that whole subject. He really had. But how could he in light of what she'd just told him? Kunsel saw only one way he could get her to respond with any truthful sort of answer; he'd have to make her angry. Fortunately, he knew just where to aim.

"You're not even 'fine' right now, and we both know it. So how effective do you think you'll be tonight if he's already put you off-balance?"

Lilith did _not_ like the implication that she couldn't complete her mission. Not one bit. Her eyes narrowed and Kunsel got the impression that she was doing her utmost not to curse him out for even suggesting it. Too many people around as witnesses. If they'd been alone, though, he could have expected an earful. Maybe even a shove if she was angry enough. At least then they'd be talking- well, maybe not _talking_ \- about the issue instead of sweeping it under the rug. He'd truly hoped that he could rile her sufficiently to ignore their surroundings, but the gamble didn't appear to have paid off.

And then she said something he wasn't expecting.

"I wouldn't be going at all if you hadn't interfered last night."

Kunsel reeled inwardly, almost wondering if she _had_ stuck him. Lilith was actually blaming _him_. True, the mishap with the Mayor in his office had been largely his fault. But _she_ was the one who rejected any of his proposals for completing her mission last night. She'd insisted this was the _only_ way to get the information Sephiroth wanted. And so Kunsel had done what she had asked. Set aside personal feelings and let Lilith make the decision as their mission leader. As a _SOLDIER_. Now she wanted to punish him for it.

 _If this is really about the Mayor at all_. Kunsel couldn't ignore the suspicion her comment had more to do with what had happened at the hotel afterward. Either way, a reaction he found reprehensible and incredibly childish on her part. And one he didn't feel he deserved. _I knew I had no chance for anything long term, but I expected to be treated better than_ this _._ What did it say about Lilith, then, that she seemed not to care one way or another? Out of sheer frustration and temper, he found himself unable to hold back a scathing retort.

"Fine. If that's how you feel about my help, then go ahead and deal with him on your own. Just don't expect me to pick up the pieces afterwards."

He didn't give Lilith the chance to respond. And since their appointments were cancelled, he might as well find out what was happening at the _Junon Sentinel_. Pulling out his phone, he sent a text to Zack for the address while walking in the direction they'd gone. Lilith caught up with him just as Kunsel received a reply.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"To meet Zack and Lux," he replied succinctly. "Over at the _Junon Sentinel_."

"At the what?"

"Those reporters we spoke to yesterday- that's the newspaper they write for. They sent an errand boy over to invite us to the office."

"Why?"

"Don't know."

"Oh." A long pause followed before she asked, "Are you going to tell them- about the Mayor?"

Tempting to say yes. Even more tempting to follow through. Let her explain to both of them what she was up to. Not to mention explain to the 1st Classes that she'd failed to keep her mission a secret when this all hit the fan in Midgar. Petty revenge. That's all he'd accomplish there. Satisfying on a personal level, but certainly not worth jeopardizing the mission. For that reason alone he wouldn't tell their friends about any of this. Of course, Kunsel mentioned none of that in his answer to Lilith; he wasn't really in the mood to be reasonable just now.

"What would be the point? You'll just do whatever you want, anyway. They might as well be spared the headache of an argument first. I'm wishing I had done the same and never let myself get dragged into this mess."

"Kunsel…"

Oh he knew that tone. The same one she'd used right before they'd gone to the hotel last night. _And look where_ that _got you._ He needed to shut down whatever she was about to say next. Quickly. Because as pissed as he was at Zack for lecturing him earlier, his friend had been right: he'd lost perspective. Well, in light of the way Lilith was acting a moment ago, maybe she'd done him a favor. Gave him the chance to really think about what he was doing- what would be in his best interest.

Preserving their friendship wasn't. And so, heartsick, he forced himself to broach the topic with Lilith.

"I was wrong before, Lilith. I can't do this. I think it's obvious that you can't, either."

"We're no longer friends, then. Is that what you're saying?"

"The stress is only causing problems. Personally and professionally. I'm sure you will agree that's something neither of us can afford."

Aside from a moment when Lilith's stride faltered mid-step, she showed no reaction. When he darted a quick look in her direction, she was staring straight ahead; Kunsel couldn't read her expression from that angle. For a half-dozen paces they walked in silence. He was on the verge of prompting her for _some_ kind of response when she spoke.

"What do you want to tell Zack and Luxiere?"

A logical question to ask. And one that told Kunsel he'd made the right choice. He obviously cared more for her than she cared for him- if she ever really had. That whole speech she'd given in his apartment had convinced him that she might. But if that were true, how could she be so quick to surrender now? Not even _one_ word about trying to salvage the relationship. Just looking for a way to explain the situation to their friends.

 _As if it's no different from a change in our mission itinerary._

"Nothing."

"They're going to notice. Maybe Luxiere won't, but Zack certainly will."

They'd come to the entrance for the _Junon Sentinel_. Kunsel cut Lilith a sideways glance as he grasped the door handle.

"I can manage those two. It won't be an issue."

She looked as though she might argue, but ultimately nodded mutely. Discussion ended, Kunsel pulled open the door and she walked through. He followed close behind, letting the door swing shut with a reverberating slam.

* * *

They reached the far wall just as the conversation ended. Looking back the way they'd come, Alec figured it was a good hundred feet from where he stood; much further than was comfortable. Especially when he could hear the creaks and groans of the ruins settling all around them. Eager to be done with this, he decided they'd split up and each walk from the center as far as they could. Nothing fancy. Just a quick look to be sure they didn't find anything.

On his part, he saw nothing. His flashlight swept aimlessly back and forth across his path, revealing only a thin layer of pebbles and dust or the occasional chunk of floorboard from the ground level. Nothing. The same nothing he'd been seeing all damned day. A fallen beam blocked him from reaching the intersecting wall ahead of him. No reason to climb over that just to see more rock. Anyway, they'd wasted enough time to suit Jekke in his opinion. Alec turned back to rejoin the Mattias so they could trek back to the entrance. To his surprise, the 3rd Class was on one knee, examining the ground.

 _I'll be damned. Maybe he actually found something._

Alec made his way over to Mattias, flashlight trained on the ground to spot any obstacles. When he got there, he crouched down to get a better look.

"What is it?"

"Not sure." The man scooted back a few inches to give Alec room. "Might be nothing, but I thought I'd better check it out."

Alec reached forward to probe the fragments of crystallized Mako. Carefully. He couldn't sense what kind of Materia it might have been and didn't want to get himself maimed by whatever remnant energy lingered after it had been shattered. Although just how it had done that, he couldn't say. Alec had never heard of anything capable of destroying Materia once it had been forged from the Lifestream.

"You think this might have caused the explosion," Mattias queried. "Certainly enough energy in an elemental one to take out a building or two. Imagine what one of the higher-level Materia could do."

"Maybe. Best get it to the 1st Classes, though." He rummaged through the pockets of his fatigues. "Got a handkerchief or something to put these in? I don't want to stick them in my pocket and lose one by accident."

The 3rd Class dug around before pulling one out. Not the cleanest, but better than nothing. Alec took it gratefully and scooped up the shards, unmindful of the bits of dirt and rock that came along with them. The corners he gathered up and tied into a knot, creating a makeshift pouch that he deposited into his right front pocket.

"I think that's enough," he told Mattias as he zippered the pocket closed and stood. "Let's collect the girls and get out of here."

"You got it. This place could come down on us any-"

Mattias' reply was cut short as the sound of metal groaning echoed through the chamber. Much louder this time. Ominous. A chunk of concrete fell between them with a thud, followed by the unmistakable rumble of more on the way. Alec threw his arm up just in time to deflect one that nearly landed on his head; it still left quite the gash.

"Come on!"

They only made it a few steps before the ground beneath them shifted and cracked open. The fissure ran clear to the edges of the room, dividing it in half. Worse yet, it was too wide to be jumped. They were trapped. Doomed to die over a few fragments of Materia that he doubted would have been of any use to Angeal.

 _I hope it was worth it, Jekke. I hope he blames you for all this and they send your sorry ass back to the general guard corps._

Alec was still cursing the woman's very existence when a long plank of flat steel arced across the chasm. It slammed onto the concrete floor between him and Mattias with an ear-splitting crash. He shone the flashlight to the opposite side and was surprised to see Jekke standing there, flanked by Abby and Fallon. The three of them were shouting for him to hurry across before the opportunity passed. He didn't need a second invitation and scrambled along those precarious inches separating him from plunging to a certain death like a man possessed. Mattias followed close behind.

No sooner were they across when the floor shuddered again, and the plank tumbled into the inky blackness. The edges of the concrete floor were crumbling after it, and Alec took several panicked steps backwards to avoid being swept away with them. They had to get out of here.

"Up the stairs!" he yelled over the din. " _Now!_ "

No one- not even Jekke- dared argue. The five of them dodged falling debris and teetering supports until reaching the staircase. The pounding of their feet on the boards was lost in the deafening roar as the building collapsed. When Alec hauled himself out of the hole as last man out, he turned back to see only a gaping pit and a few billows of pulverized concrete wafting into the air. Another minute longer and his whole team would have been crushed under all of it.

He rounded on Jekke and demanded, "I told you to stay by the stairs. What in the hell were you doing at that end of the room!?"

"Saving you two," she fired back angrily. "Not that I expected any gratitude, but you could at least spare me the lecture about disobeying orders."

Alec swallowed his rebuke with difficulty. It wasn't easy to admit that the women had shown more bravery than he'd given them credit for, and that their quick thinking had spared him and Mattias a gruesome end. _Still her fault that we were in danger in the first place,_ he couldn't help pointing out resentfully _._ But she hadn't left them to die down there. Couldn't discount that showed merit, he supposed. He was about to acknowledge that fact when he noticed Jekke was holding something.

"Where'd that come from?"

She followed his gaze down to the partially scorched folder in her hands.

"Found it down there before the roof started to cave in. In a cabinet or bureau under a pile of shelves."

The same cabinet he'd checked and found nothing. _Didn't check it all that well, did you, though?_ If he'd taken a moment to shift things around, he might have found it himself. _Should_ have been the one to find it. An uncomfortable thought that didn't sit easy on Alec's mind. _Not my fault._ He stared at Jekke, who was nothing short of smug, and repeated resentfully, _not my fault._

Alec ground his molars and forced a smile.

"Well, that will be of interest to the 1st Classes. Mattias and I found what might have caused the initial explosion." He extended a hand towards her. "We'll put the folder with that when we meet with Hewley back at HQ."

Jekke narrowed her eyes and pressed the folder firmly to her chest.

"I think I'll hold onto it and present it myself, thanks."

She didn't need to say it, but the words were there. She didn't believe he'd tell Angeal that she'd been the one to find the documents. Which was true. He'd intended to take credit and let Jekke cry foul if she thought the 1st Class would believe her. Doubtful. But since the woman was smart enough to see through that plan- inconvenient- he'd have to think of something else that would make him look better during that meeting.

"Fine. Have it your way, then. Now let's get out of here before the rest of the sector comes crashing down."

* * *

Genesis had left the lounge after finishing _LOVELESS_ , looking for something to keep him occupied for the afternoon. He'd never realized how _boring_ Headquarters was when he had no missions to kill time. Or when he couldn't spend his off-hours with his friends. Such a pointless waste of time he could easily spend elsewhere. With Danita, perhaps. She'd hinted that when she'd gone exploring in Midgar, some of her friends expressed an interest in meeting him. Danita hinted that one of them had been the one with contacts to Banora. Genesis was tempted to use a meeting as a chance to get news on his hometown.

Sadly, not an option until later this evening. Not because he worried about Angeal or Sephiroth noticing his absence; he didn't give a damn what they thought. But if _Lazard_ noticed…that he couldn't allow to happen. If this meeting with Danita's friend went well, he might have the beginnings of a plan for visiting Banora to investigate the disappearances of late. Genesis needed to stay on Lazard's good side if he hoped to gain Shinra's approval for the trip.

 _So that means I'm stuck here._

A less than thrilling prospect, given every SOLDIER who came across his path regarded him as a leper. Distance from the junior ranks didn't bother him; it was the attitude driving that distance that Genesis found irritating. Even the ladies kept their distance- a phenomenon he'd never experienced in his whole career. Not that he was looking for a fling, per se. Danita was all he could handle, and she would not take kindly to any ideas of sharing. Still, a bit of light banter would go a long way in killing time.

Genesis supposed he'd have to entertain himself somehow. Maybe if he got desperate enough, he'd go play around in the simulation rooms for a few hours. That would make Lazard happy, anyway. And Genesis was just about to resign himself to that option when the elevator down the hall chimed. He paused in his steps to watch as the doors opened to admit a group of junior SOLDIERs. Hard to tell _what_ they were, given the state of their uniforms. They were covered in so much grime that Genesis could hardly distinguish the 2nd Classes from the 3rd Classes. All of them seemed agitated.

 _Wonder what they've been up to,_ he mused absently. _Looks like Angeal sent them into the depths of the slums._

Realizing that the group was heading in his direction, Genesis leaned casually against a wall and pretended to be preoccupied with his phone. Really, he kept his eyes and ears on the lively discussion between the raven-haired 2nd Class and a blonde female SOLDIER. As they drew closer, he recognized the latter.

Jekke.

Another thorn in his side, like Lilith. Well, not quite like Lilith, but certainly irritating in her own right. For similar reasons. Genesis had made the mistake of responding to her invitations maybe three months ago, back when she'd been a 3rd Class. They'd gone out once. And it had been a good time…until she started on about SOLDIER. Jekke had talked up advancing to 2nd, and he'd make the jest that he could put in a good word if she made it worth his while. Not that he ever _would_ , but it was meant to be a joke.

Jekke hadn't been amused. In fact, she'd cursed him out. Called him a host of epitaphs as she got out of bed and grabbed her clothes. Genesis had watched the tirade in bemusement, not in the least inclined to stop her or apologize. After that night, she pointedly ignored him around Headquarters, and he laughed to himself that she'd think he cared. And that's how they'd ended it. Or so he'd thought. In the past few weeks, Jekke had been stirring up trouble with the other female SOLDIERs. Genesis was pretty sure she was behind the cold shoulder he'd been receiving of late.

Fortunately, she didn't even notice him, too involved in her argument.

"Like hell I'm going to wait outside while you give your report. Hewley put us both in charge of the mission, so we deliver our report together."

"What could it possibly matter? You still get to hand him the folder we found."

"You mean that _I_ found."

"It was a team effort."

Jekke snorted inelegantly, shaking her head at the 2nd Class.

"Team my ass. If you'd had it your way, we wouldn't have found anything in the sector. The only reason _any_ of us have something for Hewley is because _I_ threatened to tell him you turned back without checking that basement and you know it."

"Stuff it, Jekke. You nearly got us killed down there. Another minute and it wouldn't have mattered if we found anything or not. None of us would be coming back to make a report _at all_."

"The structure was sound when we checked it."

"She has a point, Alec," the other male SOLDIER of the group pointed out. "I gave it a thorough going over with Fallon, and that building showed no immediate signs of instability."

The 2nd Class was visibly irked that his junior colleague was contradicting his point in front of the ladies. He slashed him a disapproving look, causing the 3rd Class to drop back in chastised silence. As for Jekke, she was only emboldened by the support, and offered up an interesting theory.

"Face it, there's no reason for it to have collapsed that way. Certainly not that quickly."

"What, you think…"

"I think someone _knew_ we'd find something and was determined not to let that happen."

Alec waved a dismissive hand in her direction, insisting, "You don't _know_ that."

"And you can't deny it's _possible_."

The other three SOLDIERs traded uneasy looks, but none of them were willing to weigh in with their opinions. As for Genesis, he was extremely curious what they were talking about. From what he picked up so far, their mission was something he should be aware of- even if only nominally. What a surprise…Sephiroth and Angeal had kept him in the dark. Again.

"If you say that in front of Hewley, you're on your own. Don't get _me_ involved in your crazy paranoid theories."

"I wasn't planning to. Besides, you have your own theory to give- that you think they blew up that city block with Materia. Or so you say that's what you found, since you wouldn't show the rest of us the shards. Even if you did, I wish you luck explaining to Hewley how someone was able to shatter one."

"It's true, I tell you."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

They turned the corner, obviously heading for Angeal's office. He could have followed them, but suspected his good friend would have found some reason why he couldn't stay for the briefing. Annoyed, Genesis brought up his contacts and sent a text to the one person who would understand.

«THEY'VE DONE IT AGAIN»

Almost immediately, a reply message appeared on screen.

«WHAT THIS TIME, MY LOVE?»

«KEPT ME IN THE DARK- SOUNDS LIKE AN ATTACK SOMEWHERE HERE IN MIDGAR»

«YOU MEAN THE EXPLOSION IN SECTOR 7?»

«HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?»

«IT'S ALL OVER THE NEWS»

Even an average _citizen_ knew more about the situation than he did, which only increased his resentment. Genesis punched the keys furiously as he sent an answer back to Danita.

«I DON'T SUPPOSE IT'S SAID WHO'S BEHIND THE EXPLOSION?»

«NOT A WORD. I HAD HOPED YOU MIGHT TELL ME WHEN YOU CAME HOME TONIGHT, SWEETIE»

Genesis smirked at her audacity to think he'd just divulge insider information from Shinra. Complaining to Danita about Angeal and Sephiroth were one thing; leaking classified information was quite another. And any word on who was behind this supposed attack would _definitely_ be classified. Not the sort of thing for pillow talk. Still, he was curious how she thought she could persuade him otherwise, even if it wouldn't. If he knew anything, asking her should prove entertaining.

«OH? AND WHAT IF I WASN'T IN THE MOOD?»

Danita's response was everything he'd hoped for, and brought a genuine smile to his face. Wickedly inventive and vividly detailed.

«WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A TEASE…»

«IT'S NOT TEASING IF I FOLLOW THROUGH. SO WHY NOT COME HOME AND LET ME PROVE IT»

He was sorely tempted to do just that. But again, he couldn't. Not for a few hours at least. To keep the peace with Danita, Genesis texted back.

«ANTICIPATION IS HALF THE FUN. SEE YOU IN A FEW HOURS, DARLIN'»

With that, he turned off the display and headed for the simulation rooms, whistling cheerfully the whole way.


	25. Chapter 25: Strange Alliances

At the sound of the door slam, Zack turned his head in that direction. He and Luxiere had been waiting this whole time to see Roberts and Darrow, who were in a meeting with their senior editor. The boy- Kev, as he'd later introduced himself- who'd escorted them to the _Junon Sentinel_ building was with them. Any distraction from the awkward silence was a welcome one, but he was especially glad to see Kunsel. He'd been worried that they'd have to leave before he was able to find out what this was all about. Still wasn't sure that wouldn't be the case.

And then Zack noticed Lilith was here, too. Unexpected. When he'd seen his friend's text message about the address, he'd assumed that he intended to swing by on his way to their next appointment and that Lilith would meet them there. But if she wasn't with the Mayor, then…

"Is something wrong?" Kev asked.

 _Possibly._ He studied their expressions for a minute. Might as well have come from a funeral. _More than likely._

Not anything he wanted to explain to anyone outside their group, so he kept that thought to himself.

"No," Zack answered with a reassuring smile. "I was just surprised to see my colleagues were able to join us."

The boy scrambled out of his chair, suddenly far more alert than he'd been before. When he'd gotten a proper look, Kev shook his head and tipped his gaze up to the offices on the building's second floor. Their doors were all shut, blinds drawn against the view of the main floor where the copy writers and machines were busily churning out the newspaper's afternoon edition.

"I'll go check upstairs. Be right back."

He dashed off without waiting for a response, weaving in and among the machines with more speed than caution. Certainly didn't seem bothered by the giant rollers and whirring gears that could easily catch on loose clothing. Zack couldn't decide if he was over-confident or just youthfully naïve. A recipe for disaster either way. He shook his head.

 _Not my problem._

In truth, he had plenty of his own to handle. And he just knew that Lilith and Kunsel were about to add more to that list. The two of them had joined him and Luxiere by the time Kev was halfway up the stairs. Neither spoke or offered any explanation. As for Lilith, she looked…well, Zack wasn't quite sure how to describe it. But he knew he'd seen that sort of look before. Just couldn't put his finger on the when or where. He was about to ask her if she was okay when Luxiere spoke up.

"What're _you_ doing here?"

She shrugged.

"The Mayor got bored with playing 'show and tell', so he cancelled the rest of our itinerary."

"Can he do that?" He from Lilith to Kunsel and back again. "Well? Can he?"

"Yes, Lux, he can," Kunsel answered irritably.

"Yeah, but won't Lazard and the others be pissed if we don't complete the mission? I mean, don't get me wrong- I'm glad we're spared more of this BS…but I don't want to be in trouble with the higher ups."

"I'll square this with Angeal and Lazard," Lilith interjected coolly. "If Shinra's board has a problem with it, they can take it up with the Mayor."

Zack didn't envy her that conversation, even if there was nothing she could have done. As it was, he doubted any of this morning's appointments would have taken place if she hadn't been their mission leader. The Mayor certainly didn't think much of the rest of them, given his remarks earlier. Remarks that still bothered Zack more than he liked to admit.

In any case, Shinra should be glad for whatever it got out of all this. A point he would bring up with Angeal himself the moment he got the chance. _That among a few others,_ he added silently. _I don't know if he expected that chauvinist to make advances on her- or for Lilith to play along with them for the sake of the mission- but I will give him my opinion._

"So that's it, then? We just hang out the rest of tonight? Or can we just call it a done deal and go home?"

A good question. If their afternoon calendar had been effectively cleared, they had plenty of time to pick up their things from the hotel and catch an airship back to Midgar. No need to stay here any longer than necessary. He wouldn't lament a second night in that miserable place if it meant he could sleep in his own bed. Neither would Luxiere, if his hopeful expression were any indication.

"The rooms are already charged to Shinra," Lilith reminded them. "And our passage to Midgar is booked for tomorrow morning. There's no getting that gil back now, so might as well stick around."

"And do _what_?"

Zack thought for a moment before asking, "Were you thinking to check out the docks on our own, since it's obvious something is going on down there that the Mayor doesn't want us to see?"

She might have answered him, if their conversation hadn't been interrupted by the arrival of Roberts and Darrow. Zack noticed that they came alone; Kev didn't return with them.

"Gentlemen- so glad that you could see us today," Roberts greeted them warmly. The group widened their circle to admit the two reporters, who nodded to Lilith before continuing, "Also very glad to see you, miss, as we were unable to meet yesterday."

"I'm pleased to be here."

Lilith managed to find a smile, though it wasn't the most genuine. Kunsel and Luxiere didn't say anything at all, leaving the whole group to stand around for a minute or two of awkward silence.

"So," Zack prompted. "You seemed very keen to have us here at this particular time."

Darrow swept a meaningful glance around, then motioned towards the stairs to the upper level.

"Yes- the edition with the exclusive. Our editor wanted to present it to you all in person. So if you'd all follow us upstairs, we can get to that."

Zack looked to the others for their thoughts. Seemed odd that the reporters were being so secretive about what should be very straightforward. Why not just hand it to them here? He didn't like to think that it might be a trap or something equally nefarious, but couldn't make out what they could be up to. So before he walked into it- and let the rest of them do the same- Zack wanted to give them the chance to voice an objection.

No one said a word.

 _All right. If this does go wrong, we'll do our best to prevail. Four SOLDIERs, even against unequal odds, won't be overwhelmed so easily._

"Fine by us," he agreed at last.

They wound through the main floor single file, along the same path that Kev had taken- though much more cautiously. Passing through the presses was a deafening experience. The whirring was so loud that the workers wore protection over their ears. Zack was glad to leave it all behind as they ascended to the second floor. Roberts and Darrow led them to one of the half dozen doors and tapped lightly on it. A muted voice from within bade them enter.

 _Well, let's see what this is all about._

* * *

Sephiroth did not look forward to dealing with Lazard. Would have avoided it entirely- as he had since their meeting about the Leviathan investigation- if he could have. But he needed information only the Director could access if he wanted to look in to the missing Materia. A log of all current missions, to be precise. In those logs would be Lazard's authorization for the use of Materia on those missions. And so here he stood, waiting to be admitted to the Director's office.

The door opened inward, and the man himself gestured for Sephiroth to enter. He didn't enter right away, taking a moment or two to assess the situation. Habit. A practice as natural as breathing, and one that served him well time and again. Sephiroth used it now to gauge how receptive Lazard might be to his request. To him, the Director appeared a bit on edge. Out of sorts. Where his suit had always been immaculate, today it was rumpled. As if Lazard had thrown it on in a hurry after leaving it lying in a heap overnight.

 _Or as though he's not taken it off since yesterday._

Sephiroth could think of several reasons for that. Namely that the man had been fielding public inquiries about the Sector 7 attack since the wee hours of the morning. Shinra's execs weren't going to bother with that sort of thing. Maybe the President would make a statement once they had enough information to warrant one. But in the meantime, Lazard would be expected to deal with the masses on their behalf. A task that could easily run a man ragged.

 _If he wasn't used to this sort of thing, which Lazard is. So what_ else _has him so distracted?_

Perhaps this meeting would be of more use to him than he'd originally thought. Sephiroth made no mention of the Director's disheveled state and crossed the room. Lazard followed him at a pace or two behind, their footsteps the only sound echoing through the large space. He came to a halt before the curved desk at the far end and noticed that it, too, was a little on the disorganized side. As for the Director, he circled around to reclaim his seat behind it. Almost immediately, he tidied a few of the piles. Before Sephiroth could get a good enough look at what they might have said.

 _What don't you want me to read, Lazard?_

He thought the writing on one might have resembled one of the reports from Banora. Interesting. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow in silent question, curious to hear the Director's explanation for the odd behavior.

"It's been a hectic morning," Lazard offered hastily. "The business with Sector 7, you can imagine."

Exactly the response he'd expected. Sephiroth decided to play along with it- for now.

"I'm sure many in the city are wanting answers."

"They are. I'm hopeful that the SOLDIERs tasked for recon will recover some useful information."

Personally, he didn't see that as anything more than an exercise in futility. If the Turks hadn't uncovered anything last night, Sephiroth's expectations of a few mid-level 2nd and 3rd Classes weren't all that high. Again, though, he chose not to communicate that opinion in favor of leading Lazard along this particular line of discussion.

"So does Angeal. He was dissatisfied by the intel provided by the Turks about the death of that 3rd Class, although I'm sure our good friends in intelligence did their best."

"I'm aware that the initial report was sparse," the blonde man conceded. "I've asked for a more detailed report from Veld."

Asking was one thing. Getting one was a different matter. Not a point he needed to make, and so he didn't bother. Instead, he watched as Lazard's glance slid sideways to a framed picture at his elbow. A chestnut-haired woman and a six-year old boy, both grinning at the camera. The latter resembled his father, only without the glasses. Something about the way the man stared at the photograph roused his instincts.

"Everything well with the family," he queried mildly.

Lazard hesitated a half-second longer than he should have before replying, "Just fine. Thank you."

He was willing to bet they weren't. Far from it. But for reasons Sephiroth couldn't ascertain, Lazard wasn't willing to say so. No matter. While pressing the man with more questions wouldn't give him those reasons, it would prove useful in getting him what he'd come here for in the first place.

"If I'm not mistaken, they live relatively close to Sector 7." No reply. Not to be deterred, he tried again. "I trust that you've taken precautions to safeguard them against any additional mayhem."

Lazard grimaced, even if only for the briefest moment, before tilting his chin to conceal his eyes behind azure lenses. More of a reaction than Sephiroth had expected. A touchy subject, then. And one that confirmed his suspicions. He might have pried deeper into the matter if Lazard hadn't cut of the line of inquiry.

"What exactly brings you to my office, Sephiroth?"

 _Message received._

Definitely a story there, but he'd have to look into it another time. If he hoped to walk out of here with the mission logs he needed, he couldn't afford to antagonize the man too much. Sephiroth gave up as if the topic were of no concern and traced a fingertip along the edge of Lazard's desk.

"Until we know who and what we're dealing with, I think it best to have a full account of our resources- personnel in particular."

"Angeal has the duty rosters," Lazard informed him with cutting politeness. "I'm not sure why this concerns me."

"The duty rosters cover just the SOLDIERs not on assignment."

"I see." He frowned, still not quite in the mood to be agreeable. After a long pause, the Director added, "I don't have time to pull together a list for a few days."

Time to pull the switch.

"Which was I was thinking to take care of that myself. Start with the mission logs and work from there."

He couldn't see it, but he could sense Lazard's surprise even from behind the reflection from his glasses. Surprise enough to thaw the last of his hostility. Precisely what Sephiroth had intended all along. If the Director was caught off-guard then he would likely agree to give him what he wanted before really thinking about why he shouldn't.

"You _want_ to spend hours wading through paperwork? Angeal I could see, but _you_ …"

"Angeal has his hands full with a few disgruntled 2nd Classes. And if I'm to remain at Headquarters for the duration, I might as well do something productive with my time."

The Director tented his fingers, tapping them against each other in a steady rhythm. A look that likely intimidated more than one 2nd Class- even the odd 1st Class- brought to stand where Sephiroth stood now. Not one that would work on him; he held Lazard's gaze with unblinking indifference.

"Fair enough," the man agreed at last.

He pulled open the drawer of a filing cabinet. After thumbing through the files, he must have found what he was looking for. The stack of papers he dumped onto his desk assured Sephiroth he'd have his work cut out for him. Far too many to be only the most current missions- even _he_ could tell that much. Either curiosity or dismay prompted him to comment.

"More than I expected."

"It's been a busy couple of weeks. Too busy to sort these between missions that have been completed versus which are still active. Second thoughts?"

"No," Sephiroth assured him as he reached for the logs. "I want to know what I'll have to work with should we see another attack."

Nothing further needed said, so Sephiroth turned to leave.

"Sephiroth?" He paused, still facing the door. Lazard was silent for so long that he thought perhaps the man had changed his mind. But just as he took a step forward, the Director added ominously, "Don't underestimate them. Use everything we have."

With a glance backwards, he regarded the man with a smirk.

"Oh I most certainly will, Lazard. I most certainly will."

* * *

When they entered the room, Zack cast a wary look around to assess the situation. Judging by the stunted, wiry man waiting just inside, he had worried for nothing. A stiff breeze could take the fellow out. No one else with him. Just reams of newspaper print and stacks of stenography pads. Quite frankly, the likelihood of one collapsing under its own weight was a bigger concern. The resulting avalanche could well bury the whole team.

 _Still, doesn't pay to be too confident._

Darrow closed the office door and crossed the room with Roberts, closing ranks on either side of their editor in chief. Three grim faces. Not exactly the kind of reception one would expect if this was about a simple news story. Zack waited for the journalists to make the next move. The editor was all too eager to take that opportunity to introduce himself.

"Welcome, welcome. Name's Fenton." The team acknowledged him with a collective nod. "So. I imagine this all seems very strange. But rest assured that the pretense and precautions were necessary. Both for us and for the four of you. Sensitive information- possibly dangerous. And you never know who might be listening. Can't be too careful."

His words rushed at them with speed that could compete with the machines downstairs. Didn't stop for breath once during the whole speech. Zack's gut instinct told him that his haste had little or nothing to do with nervousness; this was just the man's natural manner of speaking. Would make for an exhausting boss to work for, and he was glad not to be in Roberts' or Darrow's shoes.

An expectant pause followed to editor's opening statement. Zack realized belatedly that Fenton was waiting for one of them to respond. Normally, he would have thought the mission leader would handle it, but Lilith didn't seem inclined. So it was up to him, then.

"I'm guessing that we're _not_ here to receive copies of the story from yesterday."

A rueful grin from the editor.

"We'll be sure to provide you with that before you leave, but it's not the real reason we invited you here, no."

"And this real reason would be?"

"Would love to explain, but perhaps if we all sat down?" The man gestured to a semi-circle of chairs to their right. "It may take a while."

 _I suppose it's a good thing that the Mayor cancelled the rest of the interviews._

Zack was about to accept the invitation, but then held back. It wasn't really his place to decide if they wanted to listen to whatever these people had to say. Lilith ought to be the one to have the final say. He wouldn't blame her for not wanting to get involved in affairs outside of their official Shinra business. This mission had been trying enough already. Half-turning to her, Zack offered her a chance to back out.

"Lilith? What do you think?"

She didn't answer right away- just studied the trio in front of them. The silence was uncomfortable for him, so he could only imagine what their hosts were thinking. Would that he knew what _she_ was thinking. Just a word or two about the considerations she was weighing. Nothing. And then she turned aside, heading towards the group of chairs.

"I think we ought to hear them out."

Zack didn't miss the looks that passed between the editor and his two reporters. Assessing. Understanding. They'd likely assumed that he was in charge. Would they change their minds now that they knew otherwise? He hoped for Fenton's sake that he didn't intend to go the same route the Mayor had. Lilith wouldn't put up with it, and neither would the rest of them.

 _Doesn't seem like the type, but we'll wait and_ see, Zack thought as he fell in step behind her. Everyone else did the same, fanning out once they'd entered the open space in the middle of the chairs. Lilith chose one facing the door, back to the wall. Like him, she didn't entirely trust the reporters, and wanted to have a clear line of sight in case of an ambush. He sat on her left, and was surprised when Kunsel didn't choose the open seat on her right. Even Luxiere was a bit baffled, hesitating before taking that place for himself.

Once everyone was settled, Fenton resumed speaking. Forearms braced on his thighs, he leaned forward to impart in a serious tone, "Something is very wrong in this city lately."

A few days ago, Zack might not have believed it, but the whispers of things he'd heard and seen since their arrival yesterday left him with the same impression. Or at least gave him reason enough to listen with an open mind. Which was why Lilith's arch reply caught him off-guard.

"Is it?"

She couldn't have been so busy placating the Mayor that she hadn't noticed the condition of the docks. Not to mention how deserted the city felt in places- as if whole streets were unoccupied. He'd noticed. This morning especially. Even in a district that hadn't seen damage from the Leviathan there hadn't been more than a few dozen people. Fifty at most. And yet they'd heard claims time and again that the city was making a miraculous recovery. Surely he wasn't the only one to see that it wasn't.

"It is." The editor nodded once and continued undaunted, "Even if our illustrious Mayor doesn't want anyone to say so."

"Yes, I had noticed that in _his_ opinion, the city has been recovering well after the Leviathan was defeated."

"I've no doubt that's what he wants you- and your superiors back at Shinra- to believe. That Junon's trouble began and ended with the Leviathan."

Of course it wouldn't be that simple. If that dolt of a politician believed slaying the monster would be enough to set the city right again, he was a bigger idiot than Zack had thought. Shinra had done its part in preventing any additional damage, but it was the Mayor's responsibility to repair what had already been done. Perhaps that's why the city was empty- why people had fled to Midgar and were reluctant to return. The so-called leaders were too lazy or corrupt to do the hard work of rebuilding the livelihoods of the residents.

A sound theory. Until Fenton's next words shattered it to pieces.

"This started well before that creature came to destroy the docks, and will likely continue long after those attacks ended."

"What sort of trouble are we talking about," Zack asked when he recovered from his surprise. "Is Junon under siege from some other enemy?"

"You could say that. This is a more insidious one than a great serpent, though. Nothing quite so obvious- or destructive on a large scale. But no less dangerous."

Beside him, Lilith leaned back in her chair to consider the man's words. Zack wanted to follow up with another question- one that might get them a clearer picture of what the editor meant- but he waited for her to speak.

"Very ominous. But also very vague. If we're going to be of any use to each other, a more concrete picture of this enemy would be helpful."

"It's an underground organization that's been operating in Junon for several years- maybe a decade. We're not sure how long, or even what it's called."

"That's off to a good start. So, what does this organization do?"

No one wanted to answer Lilith's question. Zack could see that right away. Even the editor's direct nature deserted him in that moment, eyes dropping to his hands. Darrow took that opportunity to cast an apologetic look at Roberts, who nodded and swallowed with difficulty. To him, the exchange made little sense, and served only to increase his unease at what they might say. When she turned her attention back to Lilith, the journalist's expression hardened.

"People go missing and are never seen again," she said bluntly. "Mothers, brothers, uncles, nieces…whole families just disappear. Taken by the group."

"You know from personal experience."

That from Lilith, who gave voice to Zack's own suspicion. Roberts couldn't completely disguise the wobble in her voice when she answered, despite trying to keep the conversation strictly professional.

"Yes. My sister. One day she was there; the next day she wasn't."

"I'm sorry."

"I am, too. But what I feel most is anger. I went to the authorities and they did nothing. _Nothing_." She clenched her fists at her sides. "It's been nearly four weeks. When I ask about the case, I'm told that it's not a priority and that she probably went to 'visit friends'. Last week, they told me if I came back, they would arrest _me_ for harassment."

"I see. And you think this organization is behind it?"

Fenton took over at that point to answer Lilith's question.

"Undoubtedly. The whole city is rampant with unsolved disappearances. Since the powers that be won't do it, we started investigating for ourselves. And the more people we spoke to- the deeper we dug into things- the more connections we were able to make." The editor sighed ruefully. "Came so close when we obtained photos of a few key people involved with several of the abductions."

"But?"

"Someone entered the building in the dead of night and stole them."

"A break-in, then," Lilith said.

"No."

Unless he was mistaken, that could be interpreted in only one way…

"So they have someone inside helping their cause."

"Yes," Darrow confirmed. "We don't know who, but someone on the staff is one of them."

"How could this get any worse," Luxiere complained.

The three journalists regarded him silently, expressions grim. Zack found himself wishing his friend hadn't uttered those words. Always heralded more bad news. Sure enough, come it did.

"Ours isn't the only office infiltrated by the enemy," Fenton told them. "From what we've learned in the past week, the Mayor's office has informants of its own. We're not positive, but even to the man himself."

That information cast everything that had happened in the past two days in a completely different light. And if it was true, then the Mayor wasn't the moron he pretended to be. Zack glanced sideways to see what Lilith thought. Not even a hint as to whether she believed the theory. So he looked to Kunsel. Absolute poker face. He couldn't shake the feeling that neither of them were surprised by this.

A suspicion shared by Fenton.

"We're not alone in looking into the Mayor's alliances and activities. Are we?"

Before Lilith could answer, Luxiere spoke up with a derisive snort, "I _wish_ we were here to do something that interesting. No, we're here to play show and tell for Shinra's public image."

The editor shot their friend an assessing look, obviously trying to gauge if he was trying to conceal something or if his words were honestly spoken. They were, of course. Though perhaps not the most _tactful_. Then again, tact wasn't their friend's strong suit. Fenton chose not to press Luxiere, turned back to Lilith instead.

"I think we can build a beneficial alliance."

"I think we could, Mr. Fenton." She paused before adding, "We're due back to Headquarters tomorrow morning."

Zack wondered what the editor hoped to get out of this 'beneficial alliance'. Theirs was a PR mission, as Luxiere had said. Why Fenton seemed to think they had any information about the Mayor he couldn't fathom. Sure, they could take what the reporters said back to Angeal and Sephiroth. Maybe they'd discuss it with Lazard. But the four of them couldn't do much more than that. He expected Lilith to make that point clear, since she mentioned their return to Midgar.

She didn't. Not a single word.

"Excellent! Then I think we ought to conclude this meeting before we attract too much attention." The trio opposite them stood, and Fenton motioned to Darrow, "The copies of the op-ed piece, if you would."

"Right."

The journalist crossed the room, retrieved a stack of leather-bound folders, and returned to the group. He passed one to each of them. Zack took his while still in a daze, and Luxiere was likewise puzzled. When Lilith accepted hers, she was still looking at Fenton. And while she kept her attention on him, Kunsel was watching her. Eyebrows drawn close together, expression hooded. Not liking the feeling that he'd been left out of something, Zack made up his mind to confront those two the minute they left this place.

Then they were being shepherded out of the office with a very boisterous show of handshakes and well-wishing. Their merry procession drew the notice of the men and women on the ground floor, which he suspected was the intent. Part of the ruse Fenton had put together to cover why they were here today. He scanned the room for signs of anyone who might have an ulterior reason to be more attentive, but no one stood out. If a spy was disguised among the other workers, he or she kept it well hidden.

When the door closed behind them, Zack turned immediately to Lilith and queried, "So just what sort of mission _are_ we here to accomplish?"

* * *

Wendt and Solon stood before his desk, silently awaiting his permission to begin their report. Angeal wasn't looking forward to hearing it; he'd already spoken with Glazer and Essex about their findings. Like the Turks, they'd turned up no suspects for the Sector 7 attack. Not a single whisper after having combed the place from top to bottom. So he didn't hold out much hope for this team having better luck. Especially given the state of their uniforms.

 _Might as well get this over with._

Clearing his throat, Angeal opened the discussion in the vein of his last observation.

"The two of you seem to have had a hard day."

"Sir?"

He gestured to their uniforms by way of explanation. Understanding dawned quickly on both of their faces. Wendt dropped his gaze, clearly embarrassed to present such a disheveled appearance when giving an official report. Then he darted a pointed look at his partner.

"Had a little trouble in one of the buildings," he answered in clipped tones. Then he added under his breath, "More like a _lot_ of trouble."

Angeal wondered just what sort of trouble Wendt meant. And why the man blamed Solon for it. He'd had reservations about putting her in a position of leadership- even if it was shared with one of her colleagues- because she was so new to the rank of 2nd Class. If Wendt's expression were any indication, that concern was justified. But just to be certain…

"Why don't we start from the beginning. What were your findings in Sector 7?"

"No survivors," the SOLDIER replied. "Found at least a dozen bodies, though. All of them in bad shape. I don't think anyone will recognize who they might have been from the remains."

Very grim, but not unexpected. The blasts would have killed anyone in those buildings- especially on the lowest levels. Angeal nodded.

"We'll let the city handle that. Were you able to find anything that might belong to group behind the attack?"

Wendt's eagerness to answer that question was evident. He could hardly contain himself, and pushed forward to stand so that he was nearly blocking Solon. Her annoyance was plain, but the 2nd Class did not interrupt Wendt by saying so. She merely sidestepped to the right so that her view of Angeal and the desk were unobstructed. Her partner, meanwhile, gave little thought to anything beyond the information he had to provide. Angeal would have reminded him of the behavior he expected out of a SOLDIER during a briefing, but then Wendt spoke.

"We think so, sir." He pulled the zipper tap on a pocket of his fatigues and withdrew a bundle that jangled. "I came across this in the basement of one of the buildings. We aren't sure, but we think it could have caused the blast."

A sense of foreboding settled in Angeal's stomach as the man placed the bundle on his desk. Ignoring it, he untied the knot and let the edges unfold to reveal its contents. Nestled in the slightly soiled fabric, a handful of crystal shards glittered up at him. Deep ruby in color, but absent the pulsing energy from the Lifestream- just empty shards.

 _Not always empty, I'm willing to bet._

Even devoid of energy, though, Angeal could feel the lingering _wrongness_. The same wrongness he'd felt with the sphere still intact- and carefully hidden- in his desk. He didn't want to touch them, but forced himself to reach for the largest fragment. Couldn't let either of the youngsters see his unease or they might spread wind of this around SOLDIER. Better to let them assume these were remnants of an ordinary Materia orb.

 _Ordinary or not, I'm still not sure how it could have exploded like this._

He'd sort it out later when he could consult with Sephiroth. And since he had no desire to look at them any longer, Angeal set the fragment back amongst the others and covered them with the makeshift pouch. He returned his attention to the two 2nd Classes, offering Wendt earnest praise for having discovered this piece of evidence.

"Good work, Wendt. This was an excellent find."

"Just upholding my duty as a SOLDIER, sir. And I'm pleased that's not all my team is able to contribute to the investigation. Solon- why don't you give it to him?"

Angeal didn't miss the slight emphasis on 'my team'. Or the implied order he gave his colleague. He was reconsidering his initial impressions of Wendt, who had seemed like a SOLDIER on his way to becoming a solid 2nd Class and leader. Now he was almost regretting having advanced him from 3rd Class. A good leader was supported by his team, and gave credit where it was due. Wendt's smug tone told Angeal that he considered the team's success _his_ doing.

 _And I wonder how that sits with Solon._

Not well at all, judging by her tight-lipped expression. Angeal offered the woman a chance to speak for herself.

"Did you have something for me, Solon?"

"I do, sir."

The woman brought her arm from behind her back and laid a badly singed folder next to the shards. For a moment, none of them said anything. Angeal reached for the file, and then carefully turned over the cover. Inside, a half-dozen scraps of paper. Not a whole page in the lot, and all of them suffering damage from fire and smoke. None of that mattered. What Angeal cared about were the hand-written notes covering every square inch. Faded in some places to the point he could hardy read it, but there none-the-less. While he studied the words, he questioned Solon about their origin.

"And you found this?"

"Yes, sir. With Rousse and Linel."

"Where?"

"Same basement as the Materia. Buried at the bottom of a cabinet or safe. Hard to say what it was before the blast, sir. The first floor of the building was a tailoring business, I think, so it might have been used to store financial or supply records."

"Geez, why bring that up," Wendt complained. "It hardly matters."

Actually, it did.

A tailor wouldn't have stocked Materia or carried any documents talking about it. Angeal couldn't be sure without a thorough review, but the pages Solon found looked to be scientific notes. Incomplete given that half were either missing or damaged, but the other half…he wasn't quite certain _what_ to make of them. Angeal did catch several references to the Lifestream and its energy potential when harnessed in crystalized form. On the bottom third of one page, the words 'successful extraction' stood out, underlined with a dark, bold line. The rest of the sentence was illegible, so he didn't know what they meant.

 _Hojo might be the best man to puzzle this out._

Angeal would bring that up with Sephiroth first, feeling uneasy about turning anything over to the scientists working at Shinra's beck and call. If they did, he doubted they'd ever see it again. And it would lead to questions about the strange Materia, too. Then they'd have _nothing_.

"Sir?"

Realizing that he'd been distracted too long, Angeal set the pages aside.

"Yes- is there anything else?"

At first, only silence greeted him. He got the impression that Solon might want to say more, but was holding back. Likely on account of Wendt. And then the latter motioned to her with a dismissive look.

"Well, Jekke, you've already made a point of giving pointless information, so what happened to that theory you said you had?"

He had had quite enough of Wendt's attitude, wholly lacking the spirit of camaraderie and cooperation Angeal tried to instill in the junior SOLDIERs. This was the second time he'd mocked his partner about sharing her point of view. It was hardly up to him to decide what was or wasn't important. And he certainly had no business to be disrespectful, no matter what he thought personally of Solon's ideas.

 _Just one more thing to add to my list of topics to discuss with him in private._

When Solon didn't speak up, he prompted her, "Did you have something to add?"

"No, sir."

A snicker from Wendt. Angeal stood and pointed to the door.

" _Out!_ Since you can't control yourself during a briefing, you're dismissed." The 2nd Class blinked in shock, unmoving. "That's an _order_ , SOLDIER."

The thunder in his voice registered with the young man, who jolted to attention with a nod, "Yes, sir."

"And report back to my office in two hours."

"Yes, sir."

Only when the door closed behind Wendt did he turn his attention back to Solon. She looked as if she was doing all she could to remain calm. Not easy, given that he suspected she'd put up with Wendt's attitude all day. He wouldn't entirely blame her for feeling somewhat vindicated to see him reprimanded for it.

"If you have something to say regarding your search this morning, now is the time."

"The basement where we found those." She nodded to his desk. "It collapsed while we were down there- nearly killed the whole team."

 _Well, that explains the uniforms._

"Wendt should have been more careful, I agree."

"It was my idea," she interjected quickly. "Wendt considered it a waste of his time, but I thought it worth the risk."

That did not surprise Angeal at all after the performance he'd just witnessed. Or that since the search had turned up something useful, Wendt had been just as quick to take credit for it. He glanced at the folder and crystal fragments. Solon's dedication was the only reason they had even this much to go on. Who knew if this might be the _only_ evidence they would ever find in connection to the attack. But then again, she had nearly caused the deaths of the entire team. Angeal felt honor-bound to address that point with her.

"While this evidence is important, it would have been safer to find out if the structure was sound before endangering the team."

"That's the thing, sir. It _was_ sound. I checked it- there was no reason for that building to have collapsed the way it did."

"How are you sure?"

She finger-combed her hair and pulled her shoulders back. And then she did something he rarely saw- smiled. Just for a moment, and then it vanished as she launched into her explanation.

"My father is an engineer for the city. He tended to bring his work home…so my brother and I sort of picked things up, you could say. I spent a lot of time as a kid constructing things out of odds and ends. Even followed him out on some of his inspections. He liked to test me on whether I could spot anything faulty."

"With an aptitude like that, it's interesting that you chose SOLDIER as a career."

"Yeah, I don't think father's quite forgiven me for that one. But this is what I've always wanted to do. Still, you don't forget that stuff, and sometimes I get to use those skills."

"Times like today."

"Yes." She hesitated. Angeal thought he knew what theory she might have, and why she might be reluctant to bring it up. He waited patiently for Solon to decide one way or another. "Sir…the way it came down- not right away, but only after we found the Materia and the folder- I think someone knew we were there and wanted to make sure they stayed buried in that place. Us, too."

"I know what Wendt thinks of that idea- what of the rest of the team?"

"No one saw anyone around or can say anything either way. Even I can't tell you I'm sure. But I felt I had to at least mention the possibility, just in case."

"Of course," Angeal agreed. "And I appreciate you coming forward, Solon."

"Thank you, sir."

"Was that all?"

"Yes."

"Then I want you to take the afternoon off- and the rest of the team. Be sure to pass the order onto Brown, Rousse and Linel."

"I will- thank you."

Angeal dismissed the woman and closed his office door. After what he'd just heard, he could use a few minutes to gather his thoughts. None of them were at all pleasant. If Solon was right, then whoever was behind the initial attack had been waiting for SOLDIER to come back. Had known what the team was sent there to do and waited for an opportune moment to be rid of the evidence while sending a message to anyone hoping to investigate the matter. He didn't like to think of who would have the resources- not to mention the motive- to accomplish all that. The most likely candidates were also the last ones Angeal wanted to believe.

 _It can't be. It just can't._


	26. Chapter 26: Hide and Seek

"What do you mean?" Lilith asked with almost convincing puzzlement. "You know as well as I do the orders Hewley gave us for this mission."

Kunsel watched Zack's reaction, trying to judge whether he bought that line or not. Unlikely after the exchange with Fenton. Their naturally unsuspecting friend was slowly putting the pieces together. So how Lilith expected to keep her mission a secret was beyond him. As far as starting arguments went, this wasn't exactly the one he would have chosen in her place.

"Then what was all that upstairs," Zack pushed back, as expected. "Because it seems to me that you and that editor were talking about something more than just public relations."

"Fenton?"

"Yes. Why did he think we're here to investigate the Mayor? And why didn't you tell him we weren't?"

Unfazed by the accusation in his tone, she counter argued, "I never said we were. And he never said _we_ were the ones investigating."

"No, but he certainly implied it."

"You have to admit, Lilith," Luxiere chimed in. "It looks bad no matter what angle you take."

It did. It really and truly did.

"We weren't sent here to conduct an investigation," she repeated before launching into a speech that went on the offensive. "But that doesn't stop us from noticing when things don't add up, does it? And since we arrived yesterday, I'd say there's been plenty that struck me as odd- the Mayor especially. Tell me you haven't thought the same."

"Well-"

She didn't let him finish his reply in her zeal to make her point.

"And just because Lazard didn't make this part of our official assignment, I don't think it's wise to ignore a potential issue. Unless you disagree…"

In spite of himself, Kunsel was impressed. Lilith had effectively severed the 'unusual' activity in Junon- and any investigation thereof- from their mission objective. Not only that, but she'd managed to strike at Zack's conscience at the same time. Calling on his sense of duty to report anything suspicious to Shinra. He could see their friend's argument faltering. Ultimately withering under the desire to be swayed into believing that she wasn't hiding anything from him.

 _Once he changes his mind, Lux will fall in line with whatever he says. And since I'm in this just as deep as she is, I'm not about to disagree, either._

"No, of course not," Zack capitulated with a heavy sigh.

 _There you have it- crisis averted._

"All right, then. So with that settled, perhaps we give some thought to the claims Fenton and the others made about the Mayor."

"He sure doesn't want us anywhere near the docks," Luxiere remarked with an irritated huff. "Honestly, _we're_ a threat? If Lazard wouldn't have my ass, I'd have decked him."

Lilith nodded, suppressing a bemused smile.

"Well, no matter how much he might have deserved it, I'm glad you didn't." She turned to Zack. "Thoughts?"

After a pause to think on it, their friend offered up his observations.

"The businesses we saw made no sense. Not for the mission we came here to do. Neither had anything to do with the Leviathan. And it all sounded…rehearsed."

Another nod.

"That's what I thought, too. On the trip back to Midgar tomorrow, we should compile a list of everything we feel the 1st Classes should know."

"Or we could do it tonight," Kunsel suggested despite knowing that she'd never agree. "We've the whole evening ahead of us with nothing to do."

She was _not_ at all happy, shooting him an irate glare before either of the others saw it. By the time they'd turned back to her, though, Lilith had schooled her expression to be merely thoughtful. As if actually considering the possibility. And then she shook her head.

"Better to do that when we've had a night to reflect on everything." She smiled. "Besides, we could all use a break- some decent food and some fun. It's been a tough few days."

That was almost too much for Luxiere.

"I'm sorry- did you just say _'fun'_?" he asked incredulously. "Damn, I didn't think you actually knew the meaning of that word."

Zack was less impressed. He gave her a measuring look before saying, "Seems we heard this yesterday, and then you ditched us to see the Mayor."

Having already received _his_ lecture on that subject, Kunsel wasn't surprised that Zack would bring it up with Lilith. Although he hadn't expected it to be in front of the whole group. For her part, Lilith's reluctance to address their friend's question was obvious.

"Okay, about that-"

"You lied to us."

"Yes, I did," she admitted. "But only because I didn't want to have an argument about it. Turning down the invitation was not an option. Not if we hoped to complete our mission."

He would say that her point was true in more ways than one, but Kunsel was still unconvinced that she had no other option. Zack, meanwhile, grudgingly accepted her argument. But he was far from finished with making his own.

"Maybe so- but you still should have told us. Someone should have known where you were."

"It was just dinner."

"And suppose Fenton is right and the Mayor is mixed up in this underground organization that's been abducting people?" Zack fired back at her. "Suppose his aim was to capture a SOLDIER as leverage against Shinra?"

The anger in those words was unmistakable. Kunsel might go so far as to say that he was furious. Not a reaction easily provoked where their friend was concerned, and a sure sign that he wasn't going to just let it go. _It's a good thing he doesn't know what the Mayor's true plans were for you, Lilith. If he did, you can bet this discussion would be far less pleasant._ Whether Lilith didn't hear that anger, or chose to ignore it, he couldn't say. Either way, her rebuttal came off sounding defensive rather than convincing.

"You know I'm more careful than that."

"He's _dangerous_."

Lilith set her chin at a stubborn angle and insisted, "I can take care of myself."

"That isn't the point. On a mission, the team is supposed to communicate with one another. Especially the mission leader. Otherwise, we're not really a team, are we?" Stricken by the accusation, Lilith broke eye contact. Zack grew impatient with her silence and prompted, "Well? Have you nothing to say?"

"I hadn't seen it that way," Lilith conceded at last. "But you're right. I should have notified the team that I was going to meet the Mayor."

An apology, but a meaningless one in Kunsel's opinion. Even if she could go back and do the whole night over, she still wouldn't have told them anything. Her only regret was in having been caught. But as Zack didn't have the full picture to come to that conclusion for himself, he accepted it at face value.

"Glad to hear that's settled."

 _I highly doubt it, Zack._

"Me, too."

The four of them stood in silence on the steps of the _Junon Sentinel_. Luxiere shuffled from one foot to the other, always the impatient one. For once, that impatience was appropriate. They really shouldn't stay here where they might attract attention; they'd already stayed too long, in Kunsel's opinion. If that underground group was surveilling the building, having four SOLDIERs hanging around on the doorstep would be one hell of a red flag. He was just about to say something to that effect when Lilith spoke up again.

"So- food first, and then we can talk plans for what to do this evening? If it'll make up for yesterday, I'll even buy the first round of drinks."

Not surprisingly, Luxiere was the quickest to support her idea.

"I dunno about them, but that'll do just fine by me."

* * *

Sephiroth commandeered the briefing room, shutting the door to keep inquisitive junior SOLDIERs out of the way. With the large table and whiteboard, he would have plenty of room to deal with the haphazard files Lazard had given him. Starting with the simple task of arranging them into some semblance of order. A task that took him much longer than he liked. But when it was done, Sephiroth reviewed the story laid out before him.

A number of oddities emerged almost immediately. First and foremost- not one mission issued between yesterday and today listed any Materia in the equipment section. Not even the low-level elemental Materia typically issued to the 3rd Classes. That in and of itself was odd. The 3rd Classes were always issued Materia as part of their assignments. Why not for these missions? But most importantly, the mission logs provided no reason whatsoever for those four mastered copied to be taken from the Mako Infusion Room.

Sephiroth could have ended his examination there. And if not for the Director's odd behavior, he just might have. Why spend more time than necessary wading through someone else's mess? It wasn't _his_ job to keep the mission logs in order. But he sensed Lazard had given these to him for a reason. Had wanted Sephiroth to discover something. That chance alone spurred him to keep looking.

The second time he read through the files- seventeen in all- he found the first anomaly. Well, more a set of glaring inconsistencies. The names of a 1st and 2nd Class appeared on the roster for two different missions. Nothing unusual about that at first…except when one noticed the dates. They overlapped. That may happen from time to time, where assignments were in the same place or were related in some way. Not so this time. Not at all. One mission was here in Midgar; the other in Banora. Impossible for those two men to be in both places at once.

He was of the mind to ask the SOLDIERs for himself what went on. According to the mission end dates, they should have returned to Headquarters yesterday morning. That thought got Sephiroth thinking. If that were true, Angeal would have sent the 1st Class with one of the teams to Sector 7 this morning.

 _So where are they?_

Curious to see what his friend would say, he texted Angeal.

«BERYL AND LEWIS- YOU KNOW WHEN THEY'RE DUE BACK?»

«ON ASSIGNMENT AT THE WRO BASE UNTIL NEXT MONTH» Angeal answered. «WHY?»

«I'M LOOKING AT MISSION DOSSIERS THAT SAY THEY WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN MIDGAR AND BANORA THIS WEEK»

For several minutes he received no reply, and so Sephiroth went back to the files. This time paying closer attention to the names, places and dates. With so many to follow, he began writing them down on the giant whiteboard with a marker. Any names that appeared on overlapping missions he circled in red. By the time he'd finished, the names bearing that indicator outnumbered the ones that didn't.

If he ignored any mission with the duplicate names, only four remained. Two to Wutai, one to Mideel and the last was the mission to Junon. Sephiroth stood back, contemplating the potential relationship among those four missions and how to derive some significance from the overall situation. On the table behind him, his phone buzzed. He reached back to grab it without looking away from the board and punched in the access code to read the message.

«SPOKE WITH WRO. BERYL AND LEWIS WERE SENT BACK TO MIDGAR TWO WEEKS AGO BY THEIR ACCOUNT»

«BUT THEY NEVER CHECKED IN WITH US, DID THEY?»

«NO»

Meaning they were unaccounted for and no one knew _where_ they were. Sephiroth swept his sharp gaze over the whiteboard, wondering how many more SOLDIERs weren't where they ought to be. And why. Not to mention why it seemed like Lazard was trying to cover up that fact with what appeared to be bogus missions. Another text from Angeal disrupted his attention.

«WHAT DO YOU THINK?»

Sephiroth needed no time to come up with an answer.

«I THINK WE HAVE MORE TO WORRY ABOUT THAN MISSING MATERIA»

He took a photo of the whiteboard and sent it to his friend, letting him know that the red circles meant. Angeal's response was instantaneous.

«WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?»

«LAZARD, MORE OR LESS»

«SEPHIROTH, THIS IS TOO WIDE-SPREAD TO BE CLERICAL ERRORS»

«I AGREE. LAZARD KNOWS MORE»

«YOU THINK SO?»

«I'M SURE OF IT. BUT FOR SOME REASON, HIS HANDS ARE TIED. THESE FILES ARE AS FAR AS HE'S WILLING TO GO»

«THIS IS A BAD SITUATION ALL AROUND»

«YES, ANGEAL, IT CERTAINLY IS»

If every one of the names in red represented a missing SOLDIER, that meant most of their 1st Classes were gone. Only the three of them remained, and perhaps one or two others. And a decent number of senior 2nd Classes as well. With the Leviathan matter not yet settled, Sephiroth knew they had a battle ahead of them. A battle where they would need every skilled fighter in their arsenal. Lazard's information told him that they didn't have anywhere close to the forces he needed to execute the scenarios he'd been running earlier.

Sephiroth wouldn't go so far as to believe that they could possibly _lose_. But it wasn't impossible to believe that aside from Angeal and himself, SOLDIER would be wiped out under the right circumstances. He did not want to deal with the business of rebuilding the organization and training replacements for the foreseeable future, so that was an outcome he wanted to avoid at all costs.

 _It may be wise to level the playing field,_ he thought. _If we are lacking in numbers, we should strive to make the best use of what SOLDIERs we have._

The best chance of that would be to start training the 2nd Classes to use the advanced Materia usually reserved for 1st Classes. Their enemy, if familiar with SOLDIER, would not be expecting that. It might be enough to swing a battle in their favor. Of course, that meant he and Angeal would need to implement that training soon. Sephiroth suspected they didn't have much time to waste. And so starting tomorrow, he'd have to assess each of the 2nd Classes to determine which ones had the skills to handle the more dangerous forms of Materia.

 _Speaking of…I think I'm through with all of this and get back to my original investigation._ Sephiroth gathered up the files into a much neater stack than the one he'd carried into this room. Before leaving, he erased the board and switched off the lights. _So, now where do I look for clues?_

As he strode down the hall, Sephiroth happened to notice the security camera mounted on a ceiling bracket. Shinra had them installed in all the corridors last year, which had always annoyed him. At least none had been placed in the offices or training rooms. Just… _The Mako Infusion Room._

That one was relatively new; only installed about a month ago. Surely it would have footage of anyone who went into that room yesterday.

 _How am I to get it, though?_

The cameras were all managed by the Turks, and Sephiroth highly doubted they would surrender anything to him without wanting to know why he was interested. Who knew, maybe they'd already seen the thief and this matter was already their business. He'd have to keep a close eye on the SOLDIERs at Headquarters- if any of them went 'missing', it likely had something to do with the stolen Materia.

Sephiroth's eyes dropped briefly to folders he carried.

 _Or perhaps not._

* * *

I stared at myself in the murky glass of the hotel room mirror. We'd all come back to change before going out again this evening, and this time I had to go with them. Meaning I had no choice but to wear the same dress I'd worn last night. When I packed for this trip I'd only expected to need one outfit, and I couldn't afford to buy another. Not if I was going to cover a round of drinks. Knowing that still didn't make it any easier to be wearing it. Likely wouldn't be any easier for Kunsel to see me in it, either.

At the thought of Kunsel, a tightness settled in my chest. The same one that I'd been trying to ignore all day, even though it was always there. I turned away from the mirror quickly, not wanting to see the haunted expression on my face.

 _Not even friends. You knew you were making a mistake last night._ I had. Hadn't I warned myself that ruining the friendship was a likely possibility? _Yes, but I didn't actually believe it would happen._

It was my fault. The minute I made that remark earlier, I knew I'd pushed Kunsel too far- pushed him to the point where something broke. And in turn, he'd chosen to break our friendship. I'd hoped that he was bluffing, even though I knew deep down that he wasn't. Had hoped if I didn't fight, he would take it back.

But he didn't.

Looking back on it now, that had been stupid. A coward's tactic. I should have come out and said that I didn't want to let go. Should have apologized for the bitchy remark I'd thrown in his face that I know he didn't deserve.

 _Should have said a lot of things._

Too late now.

As I reached for my purse with the Materia stowed carefully inside, a half-sob managed to escape. Tears stung the backs of my eyes, held back by sheer determination alone…until one managed to slip out. Another followed. And another. I jammed my knuckles in between my teeth and bit down hard, trying to stifle the pathetic mewling sounds that came with them. The walls were so thin that the guys would surely hear me and…I couldn't contemplate what might happen if they did. I had to pull myself together. Fast.

Someone knocked on the door and I froze in horror, thinking that I hadn't been quiet enough.

"Lilith?"

Just Zack. I took in a deep breath and let it out before replying, "Yeah, just a minute."

"You okay?"

"Fine."

I wasn't. And lying didn't change that one bit. Nor did it stop the tears that kept falling. I was still trying to wipe them away when the door opened behind me; I had forgotten to lock it.

"Lilith?"

"I'm _fine_."

Zack wasn't buying it, and crossed the room. Close enough that he could see I was crying.

"No you're not." He hesitated, as if uncertain whether he ought to say anything. Decided to continue anyway, and asked, "Is this about today with the Mayor? I saw the way he was all over you."

I was glad that he hadn't guessed the real reason I was upset. And equally glad that he'd supplied me with a plausible excuse himself so that I wouldn't have to tell him the truth. Or come up with a lie.

"It's done with," I told him. "I don't have to deal with it anymore."

"You shouldn't have had to 'deal with it' at all. Mark my words, Angeal's going to hear about this when we get back."

"That's not-" I could see the set of his jaw and knew arguing would be useless. "If I promise I'll tell him, will you let me handle it?"

"You can tell him your side, but I'm going to speak with him regardless."

I sighed and scrubbed the heels of my hands across my eyes. "Okay. I suppose there's no deterring you."

"Nope."

"Then let's go."

He stopped me, a look of concern on his face.

"We don't have to if you don't want. We could order in."

"And sit in this craphole all night?" I gestured to the room in all its crumbling decay. "No, Zack, let's get out of this place for a while. I'll be fine."

I wasn't sure he believed me, but we left, anyway. Thankfully, the hallway outside my room was empty. Zack and I met Luxiere and Kunsel in the downstairs lobby, so neither had any reason to think anything was amiss. The latter was doing a fair job of ignoring me altogether; I wished I could've said that the slight meant nothing to me.

"Any idea where we're going," Luxiere asked of no one in particular.

Zack likely had a few ideas, but wouldn't offer them up if I didn't prompt him for an opinion. Convenient, since it meant that I would have the deciding vote necessary to get us to the Mystique as the Mayor wanted. But also a bit of a quandary, too. The guys knew that clubs weren't my thing- even from before the whole Genesis incident. So suggesting we go to one was going to raise eyebrows. And since Kunsel had effectively cut himself out of any plans that direction, I didn't have him to make it for me.

 _No choice, I guess. Here goes._

"There's a club five or six blocks away. The Mystique," I answered. Of the three, only Kunsel didn't stare at me as if I'd grown a second head. I shrugged as if indifferent to the whole idea. "Looked interesting."

I think Zack wanted to argue about my choice. I could see the disapproval written all over his face. His objection was outnumbered by the silence from the other two- particularly Kunsel. So while he didn't like it, he allowed me to lead our group in the direction of the Mystique.

The club was already busy, even though true evening had only just fallen over Junon. We arrived to find a queue of a dozen people or so waiting to enter and kept walking past the door towards the back of the line. One of the bouncers happened to see us, and elbowed his partner sharply in the ribs. The latter followed his gaze and landed on our group. Well, on me, to be more precise. They stared for several minutes, conferring with one another in low whispers, before beckoning us to the front of the line.

"Is there a problem," Zack queried with an easy-going smile. I wondered how many people were fooled by that smile, not realizing a savage fighter hid behind it.

"N-Not at all," the burly guy on the right assured us in a nervous stammer. He hardly spared Zack more than a brief glance. "Forgive us for having made you wait. Please go ahead inside."

Curious behavior. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were afraid of us. Question was…why? So maybe they had recognized us as SOLDIERs, even though we weren't in uniform. Hard to blend in with everyone else with the Mako sheen in our eyes. But SOLDIERs were commonplace in Junon. I could imagine that more than a few came here in their off-hours. We were no different from any of them- certainly not as fearsome as anyone like Sephiroth.

 _Maybe they're nervous because the Mayor's already contacted the club to let them know we'd be here. What other reason could there be?_

We passed through the doors into the forever-night of the club's atmosphere. Once my eyes had adjusted, I was able to get a sense of orientation. Nothing special about this place. No more special than the last one I'd been in. A DJ was entertaining a crowded dancefloor of young, affluent patrons. Rather than join them, I circled around the edge to find an open table. Fortunately, with so many focused on the music, a number of them were open along the left side of the room.

A waitress bustled over to our table to take our order. True to my word, I paid for the first round and tried not to cringe at the price tag. While we waited for her to return, the initial attempts at conversation were drowned out by the music. Not the worst thing, really. The less I had to interact with the guys, the less likely Zack would be to notice issues between me and Kunsel. And once the glasses were set before us, we focused on our drinks instead. Mine was gone much faster than I intended; I'd ordered another before I realized it.

Zack frowned again, directing a very pointed look at the tumbler in my hand. He leaned in close to suggest in a low voice, "You might want to ease up on that."

I shouldn't drink it at all, honestly. My phone could alert me at any moment that I needed to leave for my appointment with the Mayor and I needed my wits to stay sharp. Even knowing that, I downed a generous swallow anyway. Zack frowned at that, too. Might have pressed his point if a group of well-dressed young people hadn't strolled up to our table. Two or three men hovering around three women.

 _Question is…are they the fangirls the Mayor promised to send, or just your garden variety of club-goers looking for dance partners?_

The one of the left nudged their leader and asked in an exaggerated whisper, "So, Vestra, it is them?"

Vestra's gaze passed over each one of us, lingering a few seconds longer on me and then again on Kunsel. As for myself, I noted the recognition in Luxiere's expression. Zack's, too. I hazarded a guess that they'd crossed paths with the woman yesterday. _And mostly likely not by chance._

With a smile, Vestra answered, "Oh yes, Miran, it's them all right."

* * *

Kunsel did his best not to scowl. Obviously, this little entourage was here at the behest of the Mayor. He wasn't surprised to find Vestra among them. Which begged the question whether she'd been a plant at the Kettlewood last night, too. Did she even work there? Probably not. And so Lilith was right; at least one of them belonged to the underground group Fenton and the others had talked about this afternoon. Definitely did _not_ like having to admit that.

He glanced across the table to where she sat, despite telling himself not to. Luckily, Lilith's attention was still on the new arrivals. Then again, she'd hardly looked in his direction since their argument. Still no sign that she cared about any of it. As always, her first and only thoughts were on the mission.

 _I do wonder what all that was when Zack went into her room at the hotel, though._ Wondered but decided not to ask. _Not my problem anymore._

While he'd been thinking, the fangirls had made themselves at home at their table. The guys with them realized that they had been abandoned, and made an attempt to catch Lilith's attention. Kunsel didn't hear the words, but her tone was sufficiently caustic to drive them away. Meaning they likely had nothing to do with the Mayor or the underground group.

Meanwhile, Vestra sided up next to him invitingly. Her choice elicited a slightly disgruntled reaction out of Luxiere. If he had to guess, his friend had tried his luck with her last night and she'd turned him down. But the man wasn't one to hold onto a grudge- especially when the redhead of their group made a point of plastering herself to his side. She whispered something in his ear and Luxiere laughed.

 _Well, let's just hope she's just here to be a distraction and doesn't start asking him any questions._

"We didn't have the chance to meet properly yesterday at the pub," Vestra pouted. "When I came back with the food, you'd already gone. You won't get away so easily this time."

From the sly expression lurking beneath Vestra's seemingly vacuous smile, Kunsel suspected she was here as eyes and ears for her group. He couldn't shake the ominous feeling that she'd singled him out on purpose- that perhaps the Mayor was wise to the ruse from last night and this was all part of a trap. Lilith had no idea that they'd met Vestra yesterday, and would have no reason to mark her presence tonight as anything unusual. He ought to try to warn her.

 _Thought you said you were staying out of this. Washed your hands of her._

 _Just because we're not friends anymore doesn't mean I want to see Lilith dead._

Only trouble was- how was he going to get her what she needed to know? The few ideas he could think of right away would draw too much attention from Vestra and the others. And that's if Lilith would have been willing to listen to him in the first place. Kunsel set the conundrum aside in the hopes that an opportunity would present itself before she left to meet the Mayor. And since he could do nothing there, he focused on figuring out just what Vestra's intentions were.

"I was called away," he answered vaguely. "The demands of SOLDIER are often at odds with having free time."

"Well, I hope tonight you'll have better luck with setting business aside."

 _Oh I'm sure tonight is going to be_ all _about business._ Even if she wasn't a spy for the Mayor, Kunsel was far from interested in whatever Vestra might be offering. He'd already had enough of a 'personal life' during this mission to last him a while. _All the more reason to keep this about work._

"Perhaps I will."

On his left, Zack was doing his best to be polite to Miran, while Luxiere seemed to be cajoling Gail into accepting an offer for a drink. Ten to one he'd spend a fair amount of coin trying to get her back to the hotel. And complain the whole trip home about how broke he was. As for the ladies, none of them paid attention to the fourth member of their group; likewise, Lilith ignored them, gaze fixed on the phone lying next to her glass.

He noticed that it was empty. Not only that, she had caught the attention of their server to order a third round. Not with any excitement or true enjoyment, but with an almost mechanical stoicism. Just as he'd seen her drink last night at dinner. As soon as that thought surfaced, though, Kunsel ruthlessly sought to bury it.

 _The less said about last night, the better._

"So," Vestra inquired with a saucy wink. "What can I do to help with that?"

Luxiere and Gail got up from the table and headed to the dancefloor. More accurate to say she lead him away like a chocobo on a leash, and his featherbrained friend was more than eager to let her. Kunsel knew Vestra was fishing for a similar opportunity, but he didn't intend to make her job so easy. Instead, he'd see if he could get her talking- maybe reveal something about this underground group that might be useful.

"I guess we'll have to see." Hoping to catch her off guard, he posed a relatively harmless question. "What do you do here in Junon?"

"Do?"

"Work. Life. The usual. I spend most of my time with SOLDIERs, so I'm always curious to hear about what it's like for ordinary people."

"I would think you wouldn't find it all that interesting compared to battles against monsters like that Leviathan."

"You'd be surprised- most of SOLDIER life is very boring."

Vestra leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table top as she cupped her chin in her palm. "Like what?"

"As I said- it's all very boring." Kunsel scooted his chair closer to the woman; she shied away, if only for a moment. Confident that he had the upper hand, he added, "I'd much rather hear all about _you._ "

He'd made sure to emphasize that last word, lending credence to the idea that he might actually mean it. And he did, just not in the way he wanted her to believe.

"Oh. Well, I…uh…" Vestra grasped for a reply.

"Family?" Kunsel supplied helpfully, looking to direct the conversation along a line that might prove informative. "Any brothers or sisters?"

A momentary flash of sadness, and then a slightly anemic smile.

"Two brothers. One older and the other's a few years younger."

"I never had any siblings growing up- are you close?"

"We had to be. Father went to Corel for work and was killed in a mining accident. Mother did her best, but she was never in the best of health. So it fell on my older brother, Yates, to care for Jake and me."

At the edge of his periphery vision, Zack and Miran headed in the same direction as Luxiere. With two of three obstacles out of the way, the Mayor was likely waiting for a sign that the coast was clear before signaling Lilith. He decided to make it easy, and rose to his feet. Vestra raised an eyebrow and made as if to follow his lead, but Kunsel motioned for her to stay.

"Headed to the bar to get you a drink, so sit tight and I'll be back."

The woman perched on the seat Luxiere had vacated and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"Gin if you please. And don't take too long," she bade him coyly.

"Don't you worry."

And with that, Kunsel wove his way to the opposite side of the club. The line at the bar helped kill a few extra minutes, as did the sudden influx of people when he attempted to cross the room a second time. By the time he reached the table, Lilith's seat was conspicuously empty. Wasn't until then he realized he'd forgotten to warn her about Vestra and the potential trap waiting with the Mayor. Meant to text her when he left the table. Now he'd missed the opportunity.

 _Just have to trust that she'll be fine._

Kunsel didn't mention Lilith's absence to Vestra, merely offering her the glass from his hand. She took it graciously, even though she didn't take a sip before placing it on the table. Smart enough to know she'd need to be sober to keep up in their verbal duel; he reclaimed his seat next to her and forced an affable grin.

"Now- where were we?"

* * *

The promised text message arrived almost as soon as Kunsel was out of sight. Instructions telling me to leave by the club's front door. Meaning someone inside the club was keeping a very close eye on our group. Waiting for the first moment I'd be left alone. Well, not _alone_ , since the fangirl- or should I say spy- who'd latched onto Kunsel was still here, watching him disappear in the crowd.

I hated her.

 _You're jealous._

I was, but I wasn't going to admit it. Tried to argue against the self-accusation from a different angle. Vestra had come here as an assignment and felt nothing for him. She had no qualms about playing with his feelings to further a cause- one that involved kidnapping people for who knew what reason. Even if Kunsel was in no danger of falling for it, I found the scheme despicable.

 _But it's okay when you do it._

 _I did not! I offered because I wanted…it wasn't-_

 _What?_

 _It wasn't like that._

The protest sounded thin and desperate, but I pushed those thoughts aside; I had a job to do. A long, black car pulled up to the curb. The chauffer got out and opened the door for me with an elaborate flourish. I slid into the back seat, where the Mayor was already inside, waiting. He closed the gap between us almost before I'd sat down, placing a hand over my knee.

"You look lovely, my dear."

Well, he appeared to be in a solicitous mood so far. No sign of the ruthless man I'd met in his office last night. Not yet, anyway. But just because I saw no signs that he'd recalled my true mission in Junon didn't mean I wasn't wary. Certainly didn't believe his grinning façade. Even if the Mayor _didn't_ remember about the spy business, that didn't mean I had no reason to be cautious.

"I'm flattered, sir."

"Gerald," he reminded me. "We're no longer in the public's eye, as you pointed out earlier."

"I suppose we aren't…Gerald."

"Much better. And I must say that dress does you far more justice than your daily attire. How fortunate that I have the opportunity to see it again."

I heard the condescension in his tone, and couldn't suppress a wave of embarrassment that I was wearing the same thing as yesterday. A rare flash of vanity, and at the most inconvenient time, too. To hide it, I feigned an air of nonchalance.

"I know most high society ladies would cringe at the thought of being seen in the same gown twice, but I'm afraid I have to sacrifice fashion for practicality."

"Entirely sensible," he assured me before adding, "Besides it's not like you'll be wearing it all that long to matter."

He certainly didn't wait long to get to the point. I just hoped to put him off long enough for us to get to our destination. And perhaps now might be the perfect opportunity to find out just where we were headed. Just had to approach the question from the right angle to keep him from becoming suspicious. So I continued along the same vein as his comment.

"And shall I assume you have already arranged for the appropriate… _accommodations_?"

"I think you will be more than satisfied on that score." Another leering smile. "I know I shall."

"I take it we won't be sneaking into City Hall this time."

He barked in harsh laughter.

"As pleasant as last night was, I would find it far more enjoyable to partake in this evening's activities in the privacy of my own apartments."

I wasn't surprised, but that did pose a problem if I had hoped to search his office for evidence. Still could. Wouldn't be difficult to change his mind using Manipulate. Surreptitiously, I slipped my hand inside my purse. But just as I'd located the correct orb, I reconsidered that plan. Put myself in the Mayor's place. If _I_ were involved in an underground organization…would I really risk having anything connecting me to it in a public office like city hall? Likely not.

 _So perhaps it's better to let this play out. At worst, it's an hour of time wasted. Maybe two. I can always investigate at City Hall afterwards._

The rest of the drive consisted mostly of empty banter on my part and increasingly crude suggestions on his. And although it seemed interminable to me, I imagined the trip lasted little more than fifteen minutes. End it did, though. We came to a stop outside a towering glass and steel building. I regarded it with no small amount of apprehension as I craned my neck to stare at the topmost floor- presumably the Mayor's residence. To me it more resembled a fortress, and no doubt would have its share of obstacles guarding whatever might be inside.

 _Let's hope it's worth the risk._

"Shall we, my dear," Gerald prompted solicitously.

"Of course."

The lobby, though opulently furnished, was deserted at this hour. A single attendant occupied the reception desk, eyeing me disinterestedly while Gerald slipped him a sizeable stack of coin.

"I don't think I'll need to register my guest for the evening," he emphasized in a tone both conspiratorial and authoritative.

The other man swept the gil under the polished marble surface and tipped his head with perfunctory nod.

"No, sir."

"See that we aren't disturbed…under _any_ circumstances."

"Yes, sir."

An elevator carried us to the penthouse floor in a matter of minutes. The whole time, I kept my fingers close to the Seal Materia, waiting for the moment I could unleash a Sleepel spell. Meanwhile, Gerald was preoccupied with his desire to fill his hands with just about any part of my body he could reach. I demurred only to the worst of his advances while suppressing a shudder of revulsion. Even then, he kept insisting to have his way. If we didn't get out of here soon, I might have to do something drastic.

The ping signaling that we'd finally arrived at the top couldn't have come at a better time. Saved me from making a difficult choice. Gerald ushered me into the foyer of his apartment. I slid out from under his grasp to put some distance between us. Those few steps were all the time I had to assess the room and figure out my next move. Namely, I needed a place to stow his unconscious carcass while I searched the place. On the far wall, I spotted a velvet-covered couch that would do nicely. With an alluring saunter, I led him to it. Patted the cushion and smiled.

"I was thinking…how about we get things started right here?"

Gerald grinned, reaching for his belt buckle.

"You read my mind."

Before he could undo the first button of his pants, I tapped into the Mako sphere in my hand. The energy pulsed and flowed outward in the form of a Sleepel spell. It wrapped around Gerald so quickly that he never saw it coming. So fast that he keeled over like a ton of bricks. Damn near demolished the couch on the way down. I didn't waste any time seeing that he was okay; there'd be time for that later- once I'd finished my search.

 _Best get to it._

A systematic check of the whole suite offered up a plan of its general layout. Kitchen, living room, bedroom- the usual. Although given the style and expense of the furnishings gave a clear impression that the apartment was far from ordinary. I wondered absently as I stared at a pair of fine statues how many months of my own rent I could get for the price of just one of them. With a shake of my head, I retraced my steps to the foyer, stopping at the private study halfway down the hallway. If I had to guess where I might find what I was looking for, that's where it would be.

But a thorough search of the room revealed nothing. Not even in the locked desk drawers that I finagled open with a lock pick. At least nothing having anything to do with the Leviathan or the mysterious disappearances. Just some bills and personal documents related to his clandestine meetings with young women. Information I could find in the desk of half the officials in the city.

Disappointed, I abandoned that room and continued my investigation with the others. An hour passed, but still not even the barest mention of anything supporting what Sephiroth had tasked me to discover. Or the accusations made by Fenton. By the time I'd exhausted every avenue I could think of, I was convinced that the endeavor had squandered my last opportunity to accomplish the mission. And so, discouraged and exhausted, I shuffled back into Gerald's study one final time.

 _Should have convinced him to take us to City Hall._ Since I _didn't_ , now I had to deal with _him_ and get myself across Junon to repeat this search there. All the while hoping that I wouldn't run into any of his co-conspirators or the average security guard. _This is going to be a_ very _long night._

I walked back into the hallway, heading back to the foyer. Passed the door to a large coat closet that I'd already searched. Stopped. Stared at it for a long minute. Retraced my steps. Walked back into the study and strode the shared wall between it and the closet. I hadn't noticed before, but the depth of this room didn't quite match the dimensions I would have expected. It was short by at least a foot- maybe two.

 _So where did that space go?_

I examined the whole wall minutely- corner to corner. Moved furniture out of the way and looked for any clue that might solve the mystery. Even knelt to examine the baseboard- all to no avail in the end. Just another fifteen minutes I couldn't afford to waste. Perhaps I'd simply misjudged the distance in a hopeless attempt to grasp at straws. As I reached up to steady myself, my fingertips grazed against the base of a light fixture mounted on the wall.

It moved.

Hauling myself to my feet, I prodded at the fixture excitedly. Didn't take more than a few tries to find a hidden catch. Once pressed, it released a two foot square panel in the wall just to the left of the fixture. The craftsmanship was truly amazing- the seams around the edges had been virtually invisible. I removed the panel gingerly and set it on the floor at my feet. A recessed nook had lain hidden behind it, lined with shelves and a shallow drawer.

The meticulous ledgers stacked on the shelves appeared to be a full record of the Mayor's bribes and racketeering schemes- both in Junon and beyond. Although not exactly what I'd been sent to find, they could come in handy. So I took photos of all of it with my phone. Or as much as I dared, knowing I was running out of time before the Sleepel spell would wear off. Opening the drawer wasn't quite so easy- even with my reliable lock pick. I found myself wishing that I'd thought to borrow a copy of Steal Materia. Or Luck Plus. Would have made this a whole lot easier. But at last the tumblers aligned with a quiet click.

A black leather day-planner. I flipped through the cryptic annotations about who he was meeting and when. Almost no references to _where_. Even the names of his contacts were intentionally vague. Interesting. Regardless of whether any of it made sense, I captured all of it for the 1st Classes' review before moving onto the stack of correspondence sitting next to it. Recent, judging by the date on the topmost letter.

I had no time to give the contents more than a cursory glance. But even that was enough to see that I'd struck pay dirt at last. References to quotas for 'new subjects' needed to complete an 'objective', and an unfamiliar word repeated time and again:

Incavia.

 _Figure it out later. Just get this all documented and put away before the Mayor wakes up._

It took nearly twenty minutes to take pictures of every page of the letters. I stuffed them back in their envelopes and set them back in the drawer.

All save one. A letter dated the day after our battle with the Leviathan. It had been wedged in the crack between the drawer and the opposite wall, only the tiniest corner of it visible. Still sealed- as if it had been forgotten. I decided to take a risk the letter wouldn't be missed if I brought it back to Midgar with me.

 _Now let's see about getting out of here._


	27. Chapter 27: The Lies We Tell

Several glasses sat on the table between them. Empty. Vestra hadn't made it easy, but Kunsel had managed to cajole her into joining him. Perhaps she thought she would have a better chance of getting him to open up about SOLIDER if he put a few drinks away first. Of course, that only worked if he hadn't been ordering watered down drinks from the bar this whole time. And if he wasn't merely pretending to _appear_ more intoxicated as the night wore on.

The lady, on the other hand, hadn't been as cautious. After she'd finished the first gin and tonic, she'd ordered another. And then a third only a short while later. Halfway through that third drink, she'd gotten to talking far more freely than she should for a spy. Nothing that would directly link her to the underground group Fenton mentioned, but a credible fountain of personal details he could use against her.

A dead giveaway that she was hardly experienced in this sort of work. Kunsel suspected tonight might be her first attempt- or at least the first against a serious target. Lucky for her he wasn't a member of the Turks; against one of those ruthless bastards she would have been chewed up and wrung dry of anything useful to them in under an hour. That is, if they were feeling generous enough to make quick work of the interrogation.

 _And once she was no longer useful, they would make her disappear._

Not so different from the group Vestra worked for, depending on how one looked at it. Made a person wonder sometimes just who the bad guys were in the world. Kunsel tried not to be distracted by that familiar concern. No time for it. Instead, he raised his half-empty glass at the woman and feigned a lopsided grin.

"To you, my lady," he toasted before taking a drink. "And to an evening free of work or responsibilities."

Vestra followed suit, though her hand was far less steady when she brought the rim to her lips. When she set it down again, she leaned against him and grinned. Grinned in that uninhibited sort of way that comes from giddiness bordering on drunk. Not at all the actions of the sophisticated woman who had walked over to their table earlier in the evening.

"You know," she began suddenly, sounding somewhat baffled. "You're not anything like they said you'd be."

Kunsel could guess who she meant, but asking might get her to tell him.

"Who said?"

"Everyone. My…" an unmistakable pause interrupted her sentence before she finished it uncomfortably. "Friends."

She knew she'd made a mistake. That she'd gotten too careless and told him too much. Despite her state of intoxication, Kunsel knew better than to press her further about her 'friends'. Not just yet. He'd let her think he didn't catch on and wait for an opportunity later. After she thought she could trust him.

He didn't like playing this part, which was why he avoided espionage missions whenever possible. Certainly hadn't wanted to get this involved in what was supposed to be Lilith's assignment. And if Kunsel thought that whatever they uncovered here would be a mere footnote in Shinra's ledgers of information on Junon's Mayor, he wouldn't trouble himself. Or, at most, would remain a passive bystander- observing but not participating.

 _Shinra can have its secrets and schemes, but I won't let them use me to do it._

At least, not beyond tonight, since he'd already committed himself. And because this had nothing to do with Shinra.

"And what did these friends say," he queried, hoping that the slight change in direction would keep Vestra talking. Before she could answer, though, Kunsel threw out a few suggestions as bait. "Wait- let me guess. That we're all mindless tools. Or little better than the monsters we fight, perhaps?"

It worked. Vestra visibly relaxed and nodded, taking another sip from her drink.

"Mhmm."

"I've heard it all before. As you said- everyone builds up this picture of what they think we are."

The dejection in his voice wasn't entirely fabricated. Since joining SOLDIER Kunsel had dealt with the knowledge that he'd essentially cut himself off from the rest of humanity. A consequence that hadn't been explained by those who'd recruited him for the program. Not that he was certain he wouldn't have still made the same choice if he had known beforehand.

 _Wasn't much of a choice, anyway._

As for the things he'd told Vestra- the opinions others had hurled at him or other SOLDIERs- Kunsel wasn't quite sure they weren't wrong. How could he not question it every day when he looked at himself in the mirror and saw the Mako sheen that marked him for what he was? Or when he considered the things he'd had to do- or _not_ do- in the name of SOLDIER? Kunsel let those thoughts go, telling himself that no good came of dwelling on decisions made that had brought him to this point in his life. He just needed to get Vestra talking. Nothing more. And by the look on her face, the tactic had worked.

"You're not, though," she insisted.

With a wry smile he asked, "How do you know?"

"We've been talking all night and you don't sound like a…a…"

"Soulless monster?"

"You're nothing like that."

"I thank you for saying so, Vestra, but you've only seen a small part of who I am and what I'm like. You really don't know me."

"We could-" she blushed as her lashes swept down. "I mean, suppose you came back to my place and we got to know each other better?"

The meaning behind her invitation was clear; her intentions for making it were not. Doubt crept in. Kunsel found he couldn't tell whether she was genuinely interested or if she wasn't as drunk as she'd appeared to be, either. What if that slip up a minute ago was by design? She could be using a smokescreen of vulnerability to disarm any suspicion on his end.

 _It doesn't matter. You won't be accepting it either way._

To ensure he stuck to that plan, Kunsel shook his head at her.

"I'm afraid tomorrow is an early morning. That doesn't mix well with a late night."

"Oh." Her expression clouded with dismay. "No, I guess not."

They sat in silence for several minutes. Or at least neither of them spoke; the music in the club was still loud enough to fill the room. Not to mention the cacophony of other patrons around them. Not one of whom paid any attention to the two people staring in mute awkwardness at one another. And then Vestra shifted away from him, leaning over her glass with slightly hunched shoulders.

"I- I shouldn't have done that," she told him, voice barely more than a whisper. Kunsel almost didn't hear it over the din. "Shouldn't have asked you to- I mean, I don't…I never-"

Embarrassment.

Kunsel threw out that it could be contrived as the redness in her cheeks deepened and she avoided eye contact with him. Even the tips of her ears appeared flushed. No, no matter how skilled, even the best spy would find that physiological reaction difficult to call upon at will. Far more likely that it was genuine embarrassment. That being said, clearly Vestra was not the type who could be so cavalier about an invitation for sex, even under direct order from the Mayor. A reality she must have recognized immediately following his rejection. Kunsel felt a stirring of sympathy for the woman.

"Hey." He rested a hand between her shoulder blades. A gesture that only encouraged her to edge further away. "All the more reason why I'm flattered that you did ask."

Rather than answer him, Vestra slid down from her seat and tried to take a rather unsteady step away from the table. Running away. She really wasn't in any condition to be going anywhere alone. Kunsel moved to intercept her before she got very far.

"Vestra."

She tried to push past him, mumbling, "I'm sorry…I- this was all a mistake. I have to go."

" _Vestra_."

At least he managed to get her to look at him. Panic. Shame. Fear. The storm of emotions played in her stricken eyes. Whoever or whatever she was, Kunsel suspected she never would have chosen to be here of her own volition. So how had she ended up involved with the Mayor and his group? He thought of a sure way he might find out.

"You've done nothing wrong. Stay awhile."

Vestra shook her head forcefully, as he expected.

"No. I've made a mess of everything. Please, just let me leave."

"If you want to leave the club, that's fine. But let me take you home."

Now she truly panicked.

"I can't. We…I don't really want to-"

"Never said anything about staying," he interrupted. "I just want to be sure you get there all right. Never know what might be lurking out in those streets at night."

Vestra hesitated, shifting from one foot to the other and glancing towards the dancefloor. Likely looking for the other two women who'd come to the club with her. With all the people crowding the space, it was impossible to tell where they were.

"I don't know."

"Tell you what." Kunsel pulled out his phone. "I'll text my friends to let them know that I'm running you home and will be back in…is half an hour enough time to get there and back?" She nodded. "Half an hour, then. Now, you remember my friend with the black hair? He's a stickler on schedules. If I'm not back by then, he'll have half of SOLDIER out after me. Not something I want to deal with, so you can be sure I won't overstay my welcome. Okay?"

After a momentary pause, Vestra gave a tiny nod.

"Okay."

* * *

The sun had set almost twenty minutes ago. Meaning she had to get back to the apartment quickly if she hoped to be there before Genesis arrived. He'd ask too many questions if she wasn't waiting for him.

 _And you can't afford to have him asking questions today._

Far too many of those as it was, given that disaster in Sector 7 last night. Danita had gotten word of it in the wee hours of the morning- thankfully, Genesis had been asleep by then. An explosion in their main base in the city. Not something small that could have been covered up, either. Oh no, nothing that easy. A massive one that took out an entire block.

Someone- she had no way of knowing who, but had her suspicions- had attempted forging a Summon. Dangerous work, which was why their leaders limited their production to headquarters in Junon. To only the most skilled scientists within the group. Danita knew Pieter, though. He was the primary Mako scientist in Midgar, and notoriously ambitious to draw the notice of their superiors. But he was also known for being reckless. This time it had gotten him- not to mention several dozen other members- killed. Not the sort of legacy one would aspire to. And one that created quite the headache for Danita.

The explosion had been conspicuous enough that it drew the notice of several SOLDIERs on duty in that Sector. Her team managed to capture one before he was able to raise an alarm, but the other had evaded them. Of all the wretched luck, since it set off an almost immediate response from Shinra. The additional SOLDIERs sent into the Sector were mildly annoying, but the Turks…they posed a serious threat to exposing the operation. They'd almost caught the operatives trying to clear out evidence in the blast wreckage.

 _At least_ they _knew what to do_.

The directive from above was very clear: never allow the enemy to take you prisoner, even if it means death. And while the loss of those two agents would leave them even more short-handed, the alternative was far worse. But even that hadn't gone completely without some measure of failure. The Turks discovered the Incavia sphere the agents had been carrying. Not one of the key orbs, thankfully, but even having just that one low-level Incavia meant Shinra had evidence that they no longer had a monopoly on exploiting the Lifestream.

Danita quickened her pace as she neared Genesis' building, while her thoughts were occupied with recalling how furious her superiors had been when she'd relayed the news to them. The loss of their base of operations in Midgar had been bad enough, but then to tell them about the Turks' involvement…well, she was not looking forward to returning to Junon anytime soon. Her connections and strategic importance would be of little consequence if she couldn't get this situation under control. Or at least offer them something of great value in exchange.

 _Working on it,_ she told herself. _He's almost ready to be brought over. Another week and Genesis will be our ally._

And Shinra's greatest enemy.

They had wanted Sephiroth, naturally, but Danita's reconnaissance in Junon had proven very quickly that he would not cooperate. At least not on the timeframe they needed. Perhaps with another month or two of preparation she could have devised a strategy for him. Danita had met with their leaders after the initial foray into the club, and had argued in favor of a lengthier plan that could net them Shinra's top commander. To no avail. They insisted she go with an alternate plan that would use Genesis instead.

Of course, that was before they realized she hadn't made contact with _all_ of the SOLDIERs who'd gone to Junon to fight the Leviathan. Danita hadn't focused on the woman in their midst because Lilith hadn't fought in the main battle. No distinction as anyone of importance within SOLDIER- not anyone she'd heard of. In Danita's opinion, it was enough to set Genesis to pursue his female colleague to cause tension within the group. With the junior SOLDIERs in particular. The plan only seemed that much better once she discovered one of them was interested in the woman. No need to deal with Lilith directly.

A very costly mistake as it turned out. During meetings leading up to her mission to Midgar, her superiors impressed upon Danita the importance that she convince Genesis to arrange a meeting with this female SOLDIER. And she'd tried. Only to be thwarted- intentionally or not- by Sephiroth and Angeal. They sent Lilith back in Junon with the other 2nd Classes. News that had incensed her superiors to no end. Especially once they read the news stories about why the SOLDIERs had been sent there. Danita didn't know what about it set them off, but the outrage carried over even to this day.

But what really lit a fire was the news that Shinra's so-called PR campaign was merely a cover for a more insidious mission. Spearheaded by Sephiroth himself, no less. The commander had sent the four 2nd Classes to investigate the Mayor. It would seem that he hadn't been convinced to drop his curiosity about the Leviathan matter by their reluctant contact within Shinra.

 _Perhaps_ that _one needs another reminder that it's in his best interest to sure_ all _of his SOLDIERs cooperate- no matter how illustrious._

By the time she'd completed that thought, Danita had made it safely back to the apartment. Even better- no sign of Genesis. She checked her phone. No messages from him, but at least a half-dozen from the scattered remnants of their core team in Midgar. As many missed calls from Junon. No time to check those. She needed to get into her role as Genesis' besotted lover.

As far as assignments went, it could be worse. Some of the others might see it as degrading, and often complained when a mission called for becoming a sex partner for a target. Not Danita. But then, she'd been fortunate to be taught early that love and romance were all smoke and mirrors. The notion that two people could have any special connection was a naïve fantasy that hampered most. A tool of the 'establishment' to keep people from following the desires considered 'undesirable'. Danita was not so easily controlled. And so assignments like this did not trouble her.

 _Plus, it's no hardship to spend my nights receiving mind-blowing sex,_ she added. _Although I have to wonder whether his silver-haired commander would have been even more skilled._ A thought she entertained every now and then, but usually came to the conclusion that Sephiroth might not be his colleague's equal in _that_ particular activity. After all, he wasn't as inclined to practice at the art of pleasing women.

Speaking of…Danita heard the jingle of keys at the hall door. Genesis was home; time to perform. She pasted a welcoming yet vacuous smile on her lips and slid into her role as if donning a different set of clothes. The 1st Class saw her the moment the door swung inward. Unlike yesterday, Danita could tell she would have no need to recast Manipulate. Last night's exhibition had been highly effective, building his trust and dependence on her while sapping the last of his resistance.

She rushed to greet him.

"Oh my love, you've come home at last." Danita wrapped her arms around him and pressed up close, tipping her head in such a way that she was looking up at him through her lashes. "It was getting so late and I was worried that maybe something awful had happened. What with that _horrendous_ attack last night."

Genesis tried to hold himself apart at first, but her persistence melted his resolve very quickly. An appalling weakness, really, for someone who claimed to be such a fierce fighter. Undone so easily by the proximity of a willing woman with a pleasing body. Shinra's best, indeed. Danita hoped that her superiors didn't intend that she take up with him permanently once he'd been brought into their organization. Mind-blowing sex or not, she wouldn't find him acceptable as a true _partner_. Certainly not an acceptable match to produce offspring from her line.

No, that was where Sephiroth- or even Angeal- became the better choice. Pity that they'd already decided the latter could be of no use to their plans, and would need to be eliminated. Incompatible to the cause. Much like his young protégé, Zack. Neither of them could remain if the organization wanted to succeed. The other 1st and 2nd Classes- those like Kunsel, Luxiere, Essai and Sebastian- weren't decided yet. Only time would tell whether they could be made useful…or if they, too, would be casualties in the name of Shinra. As for Lilith…orders were to capture and return her to Junon headquarters at any cost.

 _And since that windbag, Gerald, should have succeeded in that aim last night, that problem will already be solved._ _Should_. But in the chaos of managing things here, Danita realized that she hadn't heard any confirmation on that front. How irritating that she was reduced to babysitter for a supposedly adult man. Nevertheless, she'd check on him to be sure he'd done what he was supposed to do.

 _Nothing I can do about that, though, until_ he's _asleep._ She pulled back slightly to look Genesis full in the face and smiled. _And I know just how to manage_ that.

* * *

"Nothing to worry about there, Darlin'," Genesis assured her. "Just had some business that took a little longer than planned."

More like he had a long, boring conversation with Angeal that he hadn't been able to avoid. Almost as if his former friend had deliberately sought him out just as the day ended. Trying to find a way to keep him at Headquarters. Certainly no reason that they couldn't have talked about Beryl and Lewis tomorrow morning. And why Angeal would think he would have noticed whether he'd seen either of those two lately…well, why should he?

 _Not important,_ he told himself.

Danita sighed in obvious relief.

"I'm so glad to hear that. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

He did his best to hold in a chuckle of amusement. She was so earnest, and yet he found the idea laughable. Even if he hadn't been cooped up in Headquarters all day doing virtually nothing- if he'd been out in Sector 7 or anywhere else- highly unlikely he'd be in any true danger. Certainly no situation where he would find himself _injured_ in any way. But Danita cared, and her worry was so genuine that he couldn't bring himself to treat it as being utterly ridiculous. Instead, he swept a hand down her back and gave his best assurance to allay her fears.

"Nothing is going to happen to me."

"But your work is so _dangerous_. I heard that a SOLDIER _died_ in the explosion last night."

Funny, Genesis hadn't.

 _But I bet Angeal and Sephiroth did._

He was only marginally surprised that his friend hadn't mentioned the loss during their chat this afternoon. Angeal always took the deaths of SOLDIERs seriously, no matter the rank or skill of the man. Ever the sentimental one, Angeal. But given that neither of his friends had included him on any discussions about the Sector 7 business, Genesis was less than shocked that he was likewise left in the dark that a SOLDIER was killed as part of the attack.

"Is that so," he asked her.

Danita nodded before collapsing against him.

"They said he was a…3rd Class. I don't know much about SOLDIER to know what that means."

Of course not. Genesis smoothed her hair and said with no small amount of disdain, "It means he was little better than a civilian. 3rd Class is the lowest rank in SOLDIER. A vast difference between someone like that and me."

"Oh." She fussed with the edges of his jacket. He could feel that another question was coming, and merely waited for her to ask it. "Did they say anything about what caused the explosion? Is that what kept you so late?"

He had expected her to ask about that again. Only he'd been hoping that when she did he would know the answer. Instead of teasing her by refusing to say one way or another, he could only admit the truth.

"No, my love. No word yet."

"But…it's been almost a _whole day_. Surely Shinra's discovered _something_."

Genesis didn't doubt that they had. Even if Angeal and Sephiroth were just as clueless as he was- and he doubted that very much- the Turks surely would have uncovered information that they would have passed onto the top brass by now. They would decide which tidbits were relevant to trickle down to Lazard and SOLDIER as a whole. That was just the way it worked. No sense in explaining any of that to Danita; she wouldn't really understand, anyway. Still, he couldn't resist one petulant remark.

"It's the business of the Execs, not mine."

Danita tipped her head up again, frowning in consternation.

"Why not?"

"Don't worry about it, Danita. Let's just enjoy what's left of the evening."

He started to lead them further into the room, intending to end the conversation there. But she stubbornly refused to move.

"Don't try to shrug this off with me, Genesis. I want to know why. Why someone as important as you wouldn't be informed."

A sharp, bitter laugh escaped him. She really didn't understand. And until recently, neither had he. A month ago, he would have been making the same argument. Not anymore. The meeting with Lazard about the Leviathan business was the first awakening- when Genesis started to realize just how _unimportant_ he was. And then his subsequent treatment in the days following…well, no one at Headquarters seemed to give a _damn_ about him. Least of all the lily-white executives in their fancy board room. And that's what he tried to convey to Danita.

"I'm an asset to Shinra. A valuable one, grant you." _Or so I believed- still try to believe._ "But that doesn't mean they consider me important enough to be involved in decision making outside of the battlefield."

Danita made a face.

"That's stupid. You know so many things. They should listen to you."

Her outrage on his behalf was touching, but did little to change the reality of his situation.

"This is just the way things are, Darlin'."

"Well maybe they shouldn't be."

With that, she broke away from him and stomped across the room. The woman sure did have a temper sometimes. Genesis suppressed an inward sigh as he went after her.

"Hey now. Why don't we-" she shook off his hand and ignored him. "Danita…"

"You know I'm right," she insisted with a hard glance over her shoulder. "And just because that's how things have always been at Shinra, that doesn't mean you just have to accept it. Would you take that kind of attitude into any other fight?"

He rocked back on his heels. The message in those words shocked him. She was essentially equating this to an actual battle. As if Shinra were his enemy. Whatever problems he was having with them at the time, though, he didn't see it in those terms. The company was still his best opportunity to make the best use of his abilities and be recognized as someone. In the seconds it took him to process all of that, Danita had disappeared into the bedroom. Genesis hastened his steps to stand in the doorway, watching her sort through a pile of clothes on the bed.

"This is different, love. It's not a fight."

"Isn't it?" A brief glance up at him before her eyes swept down again before he could reply. "I'm only thinking of you, Genesis. You know I'll stand by you, no matter what, but you should really ask yourself what Shinra is doing for you- who's getting the better deal in your arrangement?"

 _She has a point._

"I'll give it some thought," he conceded, coming over to stand behind her. "Tomorrow." He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck and slid his hands around her waist. "I had other things on my mind at the moment."

"Mhmm…I bet you do."

"So why don't we forget Shinra for a few hours while you let me show you a good time?"

"Sounds wonderful, but-" she reached for her phone on the night stand. "-let me text my friend quick."

He tried to snatch it away playfully, insisting with a mischievous smile, "Ah, I think your friend wouldn't mind waiting for the morning."

"Not so. She lives in Sector 7 and I've been trying to reach her all day."

Well that put a damper on the mood. Genesis' grin faded somewhat as he tried to adopt the appropriately serious tone.

"You think she was caught in the blast?"

"Oh no- nothing like that. She lives on a different block. But I'd feel better if I heard from her. I'll try one more time."

She skirted around him and out of the bedroom. Genesis watched her go, hoping for good news. If her friend was injured or dead, he doubted Danita would still be interested in any bedroom games. He glanced about him, shucked off his coat and removed his boots. Killing time. No sounds from the other room- good or bad. And then Danita returned, smiling broadening.

"Should have guessed. She's been out volunteering with those affected by the disaster and didn't see my messages."

"That's good to hear."

"Yes," she agreed. As she approached him, Danita unbuttoned her blouse and let it fall to the floor. "And now, my love, I'm yours."

* * *

I stared at the unconscious man half-sprawled on the foyer floor. As loathe as I was to have any more to do with this pompous jerk, he couldn't stay here if I wanted him to believe my ruse. Somehow, I had to get him to the bedroom. And at the very least- I suppressed a dejected sigh- the pants had to go. I couldn't do either of those things on my own.

 _More like won't._

Gerald could do all that easy enough on his own. Meaning I needed to wake his ass up. Not fully awake, but enough I could put him into a state receptive to suggestion. Probably wouldn't even need him coherent enough to talk- in fact, all the better if he _didn't_. I certainly wasn't in the mood to hear any more of his crude come on lines. Still wasn't going to be a picnic.

 _Get it done with and you can put this whole mission behind you._

Steeling myself for a good fifteen minutes of unpleasant work, I set about reviving the Mayor. Fortunately, my Sleepel spell had already begun to weaken. All it took was a light shake.

"Wha…?"

I cast Manipulate the second I was sure it would take hold. Although fully awake, his features took on a slightly vacant expression. Excellent. That's the trickiest piece out of the way. Time to put Gerald to work. I knelt beside him so as to put myself in his field of vision.

"Gerald?"

Very slowly, he turned his head to stare at me. No more than a spark of recognition.

"Let's get you to bed," I suggested coaxingly. When he hesitated, I added in a more compelling tone, "Wouldn't you like to be more comfortable?"

Worked like a charm. Gerald nodded docilely, lumbering awkwardly to his feet. And since he couldn't quite recall the direction to the bedroom of his own accord, I took the lead and let him follow me down the hallway. Almost a mistake, as his unsteady gait nearly allowed him to knock over one of the two sculptures flanking the door. Only by the quickest reaction was I able to rescue it from destruction.

The Mayor paid little mind to any of that, continuing to stagger his way over to his bed. He flopped down on the bedcovers with a grunt, as if utterly worn out by the couple hundred feet to get here from the foyer. Couldn't let him fall asleep yet, though. Not until the other half of the job was done. But as this part required a bit more effort on my part, it wasn't going to be so easy. Had to be done.

"Shouldn't you get out of those clothes?" The next words nearly stuck in my throat; I forced them out. "It'd be much easier to give you that ride I promised if those trousers weren't in my way."

My speech had the desired effect, motivating Gerald to reach for his groin. I waited, mentally ticking off the minutes as he struggled with the buttons of the fine woolen blend pants. If I had to guess, the suit he was wearing probably cost more than I made in a month; Gerald likely had dozens just like it. Thankfully, those thoughts kept my mind occupied, since this was taking a while. I tried to keep my eyes trained on the opposite wall, having no wish to witness any of it.

Of course, that view was scarcely any better. By the time he'd managed to undress himself, I'd almost committed to memory his collection of erotic art. Was it expensive? No doubt. Would I call any of it 'art'? Hardly. Not that they _couldn't_ have been. But the lurid paintings and photographs conveyed a sense of crassness that had very little to do with art. Disgusted, I turned my attention to my one remaining task.

It was time to make up a convincing bedtime story and lull him back to sleep. That required getting close enough so he could hear me. Well, it required a lot more than that. Reluctantly, I edged around the discarded clothes to stand near the headboard. Gerald stared up at me with his glassy eyes, eagerly waiting. Not wanting to drag this out any more than I had to, I got on with it. While recasting Sleepel, I borrowed from every experience I could in order to weave a tale of debauchery that would appeal to the palette of a man like the Mayor. Judging by the smile on his face by the time I'd finished, I succeeded.

 _Time to go._ I backed away from bed. _More than time._

I was preparing to do just that when I heard a faint buzzing noise emanating from the pile of clothes at my feet. A moment of silence, and then it came again. With a wary glance to the now sleeping mayor, I knelt down to investigate. The noise was coming from a pocket of his discarded pants. I rifled through them to retrieve a cell phone. Two cell phones, actually.

Interesting. Why would the Mayor require two phones? Well, I could think of at least _one_ reason. One of these phones was likely a direct line to the group connected with that ledger and letters in his hidden wall nook. So which one was it? No sooner had I asked the question, the screen of the one in my left hand lit up, exceptionally bright in the dark room. I squinted against it so that I could read the incoming message flashing on the display.

«NO STATUS UPDATE FROM YOU ALL DAY- DID YOU INCAPACITATE SHINRA'S SPY?»

 _I'm going to assume it's this one._

* * *

Zack felt a vibration at his hip, and pulled away from his dance partner. She frowned at him and gestured at him in irritated confusion about the sudden stop, as the music was far too loud for her to be heard over it. Quite frankly, he was glad for any excuse to take a break, as they'd been dancing for much longer than he intended. They'd only gone back to the table for ten minutes, and that had been some time ago.

 _And I don't think Luxiere's been back at all._

He couldn't help the nagging suspicion that all this felt eerily close to the events of that night with Genesis. The invitation to dance that felt more like a command; the fracturing of their group so as to leave Lilith isolated. All of it seemed to be repeating. Except Genesis was back in Midgar, and these ladies would have no reason to try to keep their group split up.

 _Or would they? You heard Fenton this afternoon. Suppose this is all part of that underground group he mentioned. Just because they're women, that doesn't mean they can't be agents._

Zack had to admit that using female operatives might work to the group's advantage. Look how easy it had been for them to get close to three SOLDIERs. Not one of them had thought to question their motives. An altogether unsettling idea. Mostly because it hadn't occurred to him until now- well into the evening. Quite possibly too late to do anything about it, or to prevent whatever plans might already be in motion.

He regarded Miran with no small amount of suspicion, to which she shook her head in puzzled confusion. Yesterday, he might have taken for granted that her reaction was genuine. Even this morning. But after that meeting with Fenton…

 _I think this would be a good time to get eyes on everyone in the group._

Ignoring Miran's pique at being left on the dancefloor, Zack wove his way to the edge of it. Only then he recall what had prompted him on that line of thought in the first place. He grabbed for his phone and hit the home button to light up the display. A single message. From Kunsel.

«VESTRA OVERDID IT- TAKING HER HOME TO MAKE SURE SHE'S OKAY. BE BACK IN HALF AN HOUR»

Not exactly the message he wanted to read right now. Far from it. Cursing under his breath, he scanned the room. Hoping that he could stop his friend before he left with the fangirl. No such luck. Zack saw no sign of either in the club, meaning they must have already gone. He was in the middle of sending a reply when Luxiere appeared with Gail at his side. Miran was with them.

 _Somehow, I'm not sure that's just a coincidence._

"Hey man, what's wrong," his friend queried. "Miran says you just left without any explanation."

Zack didn't want to have this conversation in front of the two women. He didn't trust either of them. But sending them away so that he could speak with Luxiere in private was going to be next to impossible. And since there was little he could do about it, Zack kept his reply straightforward and blunt.

"Apparently, Vestra's drunk and Kunsel decided to see her home."

Luxiere's expression was thoughtful, which he foolishly assumed to mean that he was also considering why that might not be the best of ideas. Should have known better. Should have known how his friend might interpret those words. Then he wouldn't have been caught by surprise at what he said next.

"So…does that mean going back to the hotel is optional?"

"No," Zack admonished him sharply. "It most certainly does _not_."

"Oh, but…"

"He isn't staying with her, Lux. Said he'd be back shortly."

"Just because he's still pining over-"

" _Lux!_ "

His friend sighed heavily, but held his tongue. The less said about the whole Kunsel-Lilith issue, the better. Why he kept needing to remind his friend time and again was beyond him. Zack was about to bring their conversation away from the subject of Lilith when an alarming fact dawned on him. Even more alarming than this development with Kunsel and Vestra. He couldn't recall having seen Lilith since he was dragged off to dance with Miran. Zack cast his gaze over his friend's shoulder to check on their table across the room, just to assure himself that she was there.

Empty.

 _Where is she?_ A mix of fury and panic washed through him. _If she's gone off alone again…_

"Okay, okay, I got the message already. No need to give me the death glare."

Luxiere's grumbled complaint interrupted his thoughts. Reminded Zack that the others were still standing there, point of fact. He shook his head and refocused his attention to the trio standing in front of him. More for the benefit of his friend and colleague than the two women with him.

"Wasn't thinking about you at all, Lux."

"Well then why the sour expression?"

"Lilith."

"Oh hell, what about her?"

"She's not at the table, and I can't recall seeing her lately."

Maybe that would help Luxiere get his priorities straightened out. Get him to start thinking with his brain instead of his libido.

"You think she split on us again?"

Zack was about to answer when Miran joined the conversation, asking, "You're talking about the woman who was with you at the table, right?"

"Yes."

"I saw her with one of our friends a moment ago. She must have taken up with him when we introduced ourselves."

Highly unlikely. After the last two days she'd had with the Mayor, he didn't expect Lilith to want any part of dancing or a guy putting his hands on her. Not when he'd caught her crying in her hotel room. An unsettling experience; as long as he'd known her, Zack had _never_ seen her cry. So no, he found Miran's account very hard to believe. And although he didn't say so aloud, Zack's look conveyed his lack of credulity. She wasn't at all fazed and gestured towards the dancefloor.

"I think that's her, isn't it? In the burgundy dress."

Again- doubtful, but Zack looked in that direction, anyway. To his surprise, he did see an auburn-haired woman in a burgundy dress. Her back was to them as she danced with some guy, so he couldn't be completely sure it was her. But the height and overall build suggested that odds were high it was her. Zack reluctantly let himself be convinced that Miran was telling the truth. Even if he couldn't think of a reason why Lilith would have gone out there.

 _Well, no reason I want to accept,_ he admitted reluctantly. _Alcohol might have something to do with why she'd have agreed. Lilith had more than her share tonight._

Another thing he couldn't recall seeing her do before. Sure, Lilith had a drink with them now and then, but she didn't pound them down like that. Her behavior tonight bordered on self-destructive. And what with Kunsel going Gaia knew where with Vestra, Zack saw all of this as a bad omen. All the more reason for him to think they should all go back to the hotel as soon as their friend returned. _If_ he returned. And if Lilith tried to argue with him, Zack wasn't having any of it.

"Yes, I guess so," he said aloud. "But I think I've had enough for one day. I'm heading back to our table to wait for Kunsel."

* * *

Setting the other phone on the nightstand, I hit the button to wake the display and reread the first message. Good news, I supposed. It confirmed that Gerald hadn't recalled anything from yesterday evening. Bad news, because it also confirmed that someone in his organization had enough knowledge about my mission to identify me as a spy. I was contemplating my next move when another message came through.

«OUR SUPERIORS ARE EXPECTING YOU TO TAKE HER TO HQ»

Another followed.

«STRIDES MADE HERE IN MIDGAR- A FEW MORE WEEKS AND WE'LL HAVE THE 1ST CLASS ON OUR SIDE»

No name for the sender. Just an incoherent string of letters and numbers. No way of knowing who it was. But the message told me two very important things. Firstly, that this group was bigger than Junon. Was operating far beyond just this city and had operatives in Midgar. And secondly, that they had managed to infiltrate SOLDIER at its highest ranks.

Information Sephiroth would want to see. Quite frankly, information he needed to see. Question was how to get it to him. I could take a photo with my phone, but having the messages themselves would be a much better plan. I glanced at the Mayor again. To get the messages I'd need his help to unlock it.

"Gerald," I whispered invitingly in his ear, hoping he wasn't too far gone to hear me. "I wanted to leave you with a memento of our night together. Do you have a private cell- I don't want that odious office assistant of yours to see it."

He nodded with a lethargic yawn.

"Oh I _knew_ you would be clever enough to have one. What's the pass code?"

A long pause until he finally replied, "7159."

I punched in the digits and pulled up the texts. Interestingly enough, they were the _only_ messages in the phone. A quick search of the contacts and data showed a device virtually scrubbed clean of anything else. Just those three messages and a half-dozen contacts- all of the same alphanumeric format as the sender. I took a photo of that list with my phone, sure that having them would be valuable in some way.

As for the messages…I forwarded them directly to my number for safekeeping. Once I did that, I debated what to do with the originals. If I left them on the phone, Gerald would see them first thing in the morning and remember who I was. But if he didn't respond to the sender, he or she might become suspicious and send follow-up messages, thereby rendering any attempt to delete them useless.

 _So what are you going to do?_

As I held the phone, an idea came to me. It was risky, but the best one I had. I'd pretend to be the Mayor and send a reply myself.

 _And what are you going to say?_

Good question. I couldn't say that the Mayor had completed his mission. His contact likely spoke with their superiors, and could confirm that wasn't true. Perhaps the ruse would work, but I didn't want to take the chance. Granted, no matter what I said, my identity and purpose in Junon would be discovered. But I needed to buy myself as much time as I could. At least enough to get me back to Midgar.

I thought of what the Mayor would say, based on what I knew of his personality. How he might pose some excuse for not performing the task on time. The most obvious answer happened to be a simple one. Typing furiously, I fired back a reply.

«SUCCESSFUL CAPTURE- HQ CAN WAIT A DAY OR TWO. NO USE WASTING AN OPPORTUNITY»

I held my breath, waiting to see if the person on the other end of the conversation would buy the line. Didn't have to wait long, as the screen lit up almost immediately with an outraged response.

«DAMMIT, GERALD. THIS IS NO TIME FOR YOUR COMPULSIVE SELF-INDULGENCE!»

 _Seems I hit the right target._ Hardly surprised that this wasn't the first time the Mayor had 'indulged' himself while on assignment, I let my next message continue along that course.

«THEY'LL HARDLY NOTICE THE DELAY»

Hopefully, the blustering arrogance would convince my unknown opponent to give up, but I knew it was equally likely that it could push whoever it was to alert their superiors to the situation. Definitely a risk, and quite possibly a serious mistake. The longer the screen remained dark, the more I was convinced that I had. In that case, I really ought to get out of here immediately. I nearly did that when the display lit up again.

«YOU'RE LUCKY I HAVE MY HANDS FULL HERE…FINE, BUT SEE SHE'S HANDED OVER BY TOMORROW!»

Relief washed over me. That was close.

I sent no reply to that last message and promptly deleted all messages. After a few minutes went by with no new message, I carefully placed both phones back in the Mayor's trouser pocket and left the room. Kept walking until I was standing before the elevator door. When I pressed the down button, they opened immediately. And then I was carried swiftly back to the lobby, where the same desk clerk was on shift.

"Good evening, Miss," he remarked, his tone far less polite than the words would warrant. "I trust you enjoyed your stay."

The urge to cast Berserk on the twerp itched under my skin. I could. Despite the cost it would require, I had the reserves to do it. For several minutes, I just stared at the man, contemplating whether to follow through on that impulse. Meanwhile, it must have dawned on the clerk that I wasn't the typical kind of woman the Mayor brought to his apartment. Maybe he hadn't seen the Mako sheen in my eyes before; he saw it now.

In the end, I knew what little satisfaction I'd get from petrifying the fool wouldn't be worth the trouble it would cause in the long run. So I merely gave him a feral smile and replied, "Yes. I most certainly did."

Our gazes held for a few seconds longer, until he dropped his to the desk in front of him. Satisfied that I'd won that battle, I walked out onto the sidewalk and hailed a cab back to the Mystique.

* * *

Miran and the others tried to dissuade him from his plan; Zack ignored them and reclaimed his chair. For a while, Miran hung around at his elbow, promising that he'd have a better time if he joined her. When it became obvious that he lacked any interest in her, she left in a huff. Luxiere and Gail exchanged glance, but the latter stuck around instead of following suit. She grew more and more agitated as the minutes passed, however, until she made a flimsy excuse to leave the table.

"Well, I hope you're happy," his friend said while shooting him a glare. "That's two nights in a row."

Confident that no one was in earshot to overhear what he was about to say, Zack opted to tell Luxiere some of his concerns.

"Lux, I don't think it's wise to take any invitations to go with those women. Or anyone else, for that matter."

"Why not?"

"Think about it. About what Fenton and the others were saying."

"The disappearances?"

"Yes."

"What's that got to do with us?"

"You think it'd be impossible to make a SOLDIER disappear? Depending on what means these people possess, I wouldn't rule that out. And what better way to catch one of us unaware?"

As he'd been talking, Luxiere's eyes widened. Piecing it all together. Finally. His friend spun around in his seat towards the dancefloor and then back again.

"But…then Kunsel-" he gulped down hard. "You don't suppose…"

"I don't know, Lux. I truly don't know. But if he's not back in the next five or ten minutes, I think we get Lilith and go find out."

"Screw that. I say we go get her now. I'm sure Lilith would agree this is more important."

"I would agree what's important?"

At the sound of Lilith's voice behind them, both Zack and Luxiere turned around. Back from the dancefloor, he presumed, and looking no worse for the time spent out there. So maybe having a bit to drink and having some fun was just a way of blowing off steam about the past couple days. Whatever the reason, he was honestly never more glad to see her.

 _Not sure how glad she's going to be to hear about Kunsel, though._

"We may have a situation," he told her.

"What sort of situation?"

"I got a text message from Kunsel saying he's decided to escort Vestra home because she got a little too drunk."

All color drained from her face. Lilith grasped the back of a chair, the skin stretching so taut over her knuckles that the tendons were clearly visible. Only after a full minute of silence did she gain enough control to reply.

"He did _what_? Has he lost his mind?"

She'd obviously come to a similar conclusion as Zack had- that the fangirls weren't to be trusted and that their friend should have been more wary before leaving with one of them. Although to his eye, Lilith was far more upset than he expected. As mission leader, of course she ought to be concerned about the members of her team. But she sounded much more than concerned. Which only fueled his own paranoia about the situation. Zack tried to diffuse it as best he could.

"Said it'd take a half hour." He checked the time. "Should be back any minute now."

She was not at all appeased.

"He left. With one of _them_." _Was that a note of contempt I heard?_ Zack had no opportunity to find out as she continued on her tirade. "Of all the…how could he…" she cast her eyes around her and clenched her jaw in obvious frustration. "Of all the reckless things he could have done."

Zack very nearly reminded her that she'd done something no less reckless. But he had to admit that when she'd met with the Mayor last night, at least she hadn't known about the abductions in Junon. Kunsel did, and yet he'd gone off alone with a strange woman, anyway.

"So what do you say we do, Lilith," he asked instead.

Lilith closed her eyes briefly and inhaled, trying for a measure of serenity, he supposed.

"I take it the message didn't say where Vestra lives."

"No."

"Then we wait another five minutes. Try texting him to see if he's on his way. Let's hope he answers."

Zack nodded, sending out a message as she circled the table to stand next to him- eyes on his cell phone. The three of them fell silent then, waiting for any sign of a response from Kunsel. The minutes ticked by and took much of Zack's hope with them.

"Well, that's it, then," Luxiere prophesied in a funereal tone. "He's been captured by those people and we're done for when we have to explain it to the 1st Classes back in Midgar."

He didn't want to admit that his friend could be right. Zack avoided eye contact with the others to stare in the direction of the door. A group of people had just walked in. When they veered off to the bar, Kunsel appeared in their wake. For the second time this evening, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief. It must have shown on his face, prompting a response from Luxiere.

"What?"

"Looks like that won't be necessary after all."

The other two followed his gaze.

"Damned idiot," he heard Lilith mutter under her breath.

And yet she said nothing at all when he finally reached the table. Just sat there, stone-faced. Kunsel, by contrast, seemed almost surprised to find her here. He opened his mouth as if to say something, caught himself and shut it again. Then he turned to Zack.

"Something wrong?"

"Was going to ask you the same thing."

"Fine, as you can see. I told you I'd be back."

"You should have arranged for a taxi to take Vestra home. It wasn't necessary to go with her."

Kunsel did not take that suggestion well, visibly indignant.

"She needed help. I texted to let you know where I was going, and now I'm back. Why are you on my case over this?"

Their gazes held for a few moments as he tried to judge what the other man was up to. He had to know that the decision to go off on his own- text message be damned- was exactly the sort of behavior Zack had warned him about just this morning. But as he had no appetite for rehashing that discussion now, he stuck to the most critical issue.

"Because you don't know that woman." Zack cast a sideways glance to Lilith, who ought to be the one delivering this lecture. "Why aren't _you_ giving him hell?"

"You seem to be doing fine on your own," she replied shortly.

"Look, if you wanted to handle this, you should have spoken up."

"Zack, drop it. It's not important right now."

It was, but he'd never get that point across to her. So he rounded on Kunsel again.

"After what Fenton said this afternoon, it doesn't seem like a wise idea to go off with anyone we don't know- even if they seem harmless."

"You think Vestra aimed to abduct me? She could hardly walk straight."

"She could be bait in a trap set by someone else."

Zack waited to hear what he would say about that. While he waited, he couldn't ignore the irony that this time _he_ was the one raising questions about people's intentions. Any other time, Kunsel would have been the one delivering this speech. If he'd hoped that it would make his friend see reason, however, Zack was doomed to be disappointed.

"You're jumping at shadows, Zack. And now you've even got the other two buying into it." Kunsel shook his head. "And here I thought you were the levelheaded one."

He did not like the accusation that he was overreacting, but the retort he'd planned to deliver was interrupted by Lilith.

"It's late. I see no point in debating all this now. So why don't we just go back to the hotel and deal with it in the morning? You've got two hours on an airship to lecture him, Zack."

 _And_ now _you decide to take charge._ Frustrated but outvoted, Zack swallowed the rest of his argument with a curt nod.

"Fine."

And so they closed out their tabs and left. A somber quartet amid the merry party-goers around them. But those thinned out after a block or so, leaving them to their tense silence as they walked the rest of the way to the hotel. A silence that followed them up the flights of stairs and to the hallway outside their rooms. Lilith spoke one final time, reminding them of the morning schedule.

"Ship leaves at ten, so everyone downstairs no later than nine." Her gaze settled on Luxiere. "And I do mean nine."

No one protested- not even Luxiere. Zack unlocked his door and left the others standing in the hall. Miserable accommodations or no, he was glad to see the end of this day. Glad to see them back in Midgar tomorrow. Back to sanity.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Thanks to you, Anonymous Birdy for your continued support and feedback! It's funny you should say that this ended too quickly- it's the longest one I've written so far. Quite honestly, I was worried that it might be a bit too long. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the introduction of Danita's POV. ~Evie**_


	28. Chapter 28: The Lines of Intersection

An incessant buzzing dragged me out of a fitful sleep. Blearily, I reached over to the dilapidated nightstand to shut off my alarm. Morning already. For once, I could almost say I was glad. I'd been plagued by terrible nightmares on and off since falling asleep around one. The kind I hadn't endured in a long time.

I never had nightmares when I lived in the slums. No need; you _lived_ the nightmare day in and day out. Only when I traded a rudimentary shelter on one of its dingier streets for an apartment in Sector 7 did the unpleasant dreams begin. Four or five times a week at first, but over the years they'd become less frequent- maybe once or twice a month. The past few days in Junon seemed to have brought them back full force.

 _All the better that we're getting out of here today._

With a sigh, I swung my feet over the edge of the mattress and sat up. First things first. I ought to get dressed. Shuffling across the room to my travel bag, I pulled out the spare uniform I'd remembered to bring this time. Deliberately ignored the slightly wrinkled dress draped haphazardly over the arm of the chair, in no mood to deal with _those_ thoughts this morning.

And so I dressed hurriedly, scraping my hair into a ponytail without bothering to brush it. Then it was a quick survey of the room to be sure I had everything packed for the journey home. Ten minutes later I was in the hall, bag slung over my shoulder. No sign of life from any of the other doors- all closed. I stared at Kunsel's for several long minutes. Just as I'd done last night.

After Zack had gone into his room, Luxiere hadn't been far behind him. Which left just the two of us alone in the hall. Why he didn't follow suit straight away I couldn't fathom. Kunsel knew as well as I did that we couldn't talk about Vestra or the Mayor with our friends so close. Not with these paper-thin walls. Beyond the mission, what else could we have to say to one another? He'd made it quite clear this afternoon that anything personal was off-limits.

The longer we stood there, the closer I came to wading into those forbidden waters. Thinking that maybe I could say everything I hadn't this morning; the words never made it out. In the end, Kunsel turned away to leave me standing alone. I remained there for some time, before crossing the hall to my own room.

 _It wouldn't have done any good, anyway,_ I told myself.

 _How are you so sure if you didn't at least try?_

 _I just know._

With that, I descended the stairs to the hotel lobby. Zack was already there when I arrived. For once, he wasn't his typical cheerful self. Likely on account of the events at the nightclub. Question was- would he bring it up, or just suppress his disapproval in favor of keeping the peace? Usually I'd bet on the latter, but Zack had been more apt to speak out lately. Meaning I could be in for an unpleasant conversation.

"Lilith," he greeted me with a nod.

"Zack." Hoping to direct us along a safe line of conversation I added, "Glad to be going home?"

"You could say that." A beat of silence and then, "Lilith, we need to talk about last night."

 _So much for keeping things casual._

"Last night?"

"Don't try to play it off like you don't know what I'm talking about. We both know you weren't acting like yourself, and the reason why."  
"Okay, look…"

"You don't have to explain about the booze. We've all had days that warrant a drink or two…or the whole damned bottle. I get that." If he didn't care about the drinking, I really didn't want to find out what pissed him off enough to begin this discussion. Before I could get a word in, though, Zack had thrown in a second observation. "And while I'd admit I was surprised you went out on the dancefloor, maybe it was the kind of escape you needed."

I had to catch myself from asking him what he meant by dancing. I certainly hadn't gone out there last night. But for some reason, he must have thought he saw me on the dancefloor. _Or maybe someone who just_ looked _like me._ The Mayor could've arranged for a convincing decoy to fool everyone into thinking I was still in the club after I'd left. The dancefloor made the most sense.

"None of my business," he insisted. "But there's one thing I can't let slide."

 _Pretty sure I know what it is._

"Like it or not, we need to talk about how you handled Kunsel's decision to leave with Vestra last night. Or rather, how you _didn't_ handle it."

"I just felt that we needed to be cautious."

"No. No, I'm not buying that. If it'd been me or Luxiere, you'd have given us hell. But you brushed the whole thing off…because it was Kunsel."

Oh I did _not_ like where this conversation was headed. I had to do something to derail it.

"I haven't- and wouldn't- treat any of you differently on a mission."

"No? Because it sure looks like it to me. And to Lux, you can bet."

"You'd be imagining it, then."

That was not the right answer. I knew the second the words left me that I'd said the wrong thing. Zack's jaw tightened and a hard look crept into his eyes as he stared me down.

"First Kunsel accuses me of exaggerating last night, and now today you're telling me I'm imagining things. Something's going on here. So you'd better tell me what it is, Lilith, or when we get back to Midgar, I'm going to speak with Angeal. You can be sure when I do, I'll have plenty to say about what's gone on here in Junon. And just as a fair warning, part of that message will be the recommendation that you _never_ be assigned as mission leader again."

He would, too. Friends be damned. Zack would repeat those words to Angeal the first chance he got. I could picture the response just as clearly. A warning like that from Zack wouldn't go unheeded. I'd be lucky to do more than guard detail for the rest of my Shinra career. Forget ever making 1st Class.

 _I can't tell him why I let Kunsel off easy, though._

In retrospect, I probably _should_ have been tougher on him. Which would have required a plan of just how to do that without making the situation between us that much worse. At the time, it'd been easier not to deal with it. Had I known that Zack would be this put out, I might have made the effort. Hindsight was all well and good, but it didn't solve my problem of what to tell him.

 _Only one real option._

 _I was_ really _hoping to avoid that._

 _Can you think of an alternative?_

 _No._

 _Best get on with it, then._

With an inward sigh, I resigned myself to the lesser of two evils.

"I was jealous. Of Vestra." Zack's eyebrows shot up in surprise. His reaction was encouraging enough to move forward. "I was afraid if I laid into him at the club, I'd say things I might regret. And so I tabled the subject until I could approach it from a rational state of mind."

He was silent for a long time, leaving me feeling acutely uncomfortable. My luck, at any minute Luxiere- or worse, Kunsel- could come downstairs. Bad enough that I was discussing this with Zack. I sent a silent prayer to Gaia that the two of them would remain upstairs just a little longer. Hell, I'd even forego scolding Luxiere for being late. At last, Zack cleared his throat to reply.

"So it's not just Kunsel, then. There's interest on your side, too."

"No, there's not."

"But you just said…"

"It's complicated, Zack."

"Did you at least tell him- when you went to his apartment?" I stared at him mutely, unwilling to say any more. He held up a hand in surrender. "All right, I guess it's not really my business to ask."

"Thanks."

"But I think if you haven't…you ought to."

"Zack."

"Just a suggestion. One friend to another."

 _A suggestion a little too late._ I did my best to smile, but it came out rather anemic. Thankfully, he didn't press the issue. Not that I gave him the opportunity, turning the conversation back to the original subject.

"Don't worry about the Vestra issue. I'll speak to him about it. Before we debrief with the 1st Classes, if I can. I'd like to be sure we're all on the same page."

He might have said something, but the other half of our quartet arrived in the lobby. None of us said a word- not even a good-natured remark about Luxiere being on time for once. We just turned in our keys to the box on the reception desk and filed into the alley. Just like the night before, our journey to the docks remained silent. Only when we'd boarded and found a decent place to settle in did anyone venture to speak up.

"Well," Luxiere announced in an attempt for levity, "This is much better than the trip here. Looks like I won't have to pony up for drinks when we get back to Midgar."

* * *

The flight home was productive. Or so Kunsel supposed. Lilith did a fair job at keeping Zack and Luxiere in the dark about how involved she was with the investigation- or what the 1st Classes expected her to do in Junon. She also steered the discussion away from any topic that might suggest he was involved in any way. Kunsel should have felt grateful for that, but couldn't get past his annoyance that they had to keep up this pretense. An open discussion where everyone had all the facts would likely net better results.

 _You really want to throw_ everything _on the table? What do you think those two will conclude when you tell them about the other hotel room?_

 _Okay, perhaps not quite_ that _open._

In the end, Lilith compiled a sizable list of observations from the team. Some that surprised even him. He hadn't thought Zack and Luxiere were paying that close attention. Apparently, he'd been wrong. Kunsel wondered what the 1st Classes would think of it when they were presented with the information during their debrief. They might be convinced to reveal the mission's true purpose to all four of them at that point. Or they might not. If they did, Lilith would have to divulge the list of observations that she hadn't shared during this discussion. As would he.

The airship landed with a jolt. From the window on his left, Kunsel saw workers tying off the mooring lines. Wouldn't be long before they'd have the ramp in place. People around them were already standing up and gathering their luggage. He didn't wait for the others to follow suit, more than ready to be done with this trip.

It seemed like the mission had lasted much longer than just two days. Kunsel wondered if anything of interest had happened in Midgar while they'd been gone. Unlikely. Just the same routine day in and day out. Certainly wouldn't have been as eventful as their adventure in Junon. He was looking forward to a bit of monotony for a while. Now that this whole mission was over.

 _But you know it's not really over._

As he walked beside Luxiere down the ramp to street level, Kunsel was forced to admit the truth of it. Whatever was going on in Junon would only get worse. It definitely required Shinra's attention before the terror plaguing that city spread elsewhere. And that's if it hadn't already. Just because he hadn't heard anything about people disappearing in Midgar didn't mean they weren't going on. Plenty of ways to keep officials unaware. Especially if the group was operating in the slums; no one in the over city would notice. Or even care.

 _It wouldn't hurt to investigate around the Wall Market and find out._ A suggestion he'd put to the guys tomorrow. _Or maybe next week. We could all use a break._

He knew one thing, though. He wouldn't be including Lilith as part of that conversation. He ought to; she knew that place better than the rest of them put together. But he wouldn't ask her to go back there. Not after the sparse and yet brutal fragments she'd told him about living in the city slums. Kunsel and the other guys could manage well enough without involving Lilith. And hopefully when she found out that he'd deliberately kept her in the dark- and she _would_ \- she'd have the decency not to fight about it.

Small hope of that, but Kunsel didn't let that change his mind about what to do. And in the meantime, he wouldn't think about it. Plenty of other things to keep his mind occupied as they made their wait towards Headquarters. The whole time, Luxiere did his best to keep everyone's spirits up, but even Zack was only partially listening to him. Unusual to see him so distracted. Once or twice, he thought he caught his friend giving him a disgruntled look.

 _Probably still pissed off about the thing with Vestra last night. Kind of surprised he didn't try to bring it up again on the flight from Junon._

So why didn't he?

From his position several paces behind Lilith, Kunsel couldn't shake the suspicion that maybe she was behind Zack's silence on the matter. They'd been talking about _something_ in the hotel before he and Luxiere had arrived, but cut it short once they were no longer alone. Certainly didn't bring up the conversation during the walk to the airship. Or on the way to Midgar. Or even now.

The opportunity to ask about it passed, as they had arrived at Shinra's massive central building. Usually, not the liveliest place on your typical weekday. Today, however, its downstairs lobby was a hive of activity when they arrived. Kunsel saw quite the crowd huddled around the main reception desk, all highly animated and clamoring over something. With all voices speaking over one another, it was too difficult to pick out any specifics.

 _Wonder if one of the Sectors experienced an outage while we were gone. That would get people stirred up._ He and the others just kept walking to the elevators, grateful to be ignored by the throng. _We've had enough experience with public relations for the time being._

As they rode up to the 49th floor, he tried not to think of the dread he felt at being at Headquarters. It hadn't really dawned on him until now just how much he didn't want to be here. Not in Midgar, and definitely not to _this_ building in particular. Coming back wasn't going to be any easier than being in Junon had been. In fact, it could be harder. Kunsel suspected Genesis wasn't going to let up with his taunting, no matter what the other two 1st Classes promised.

 _Maybe I ought to take an assignment to the WRO base. Or even to Wutai. Just get away from everyone for a while._

He'd put the request to Angeal. Maybe volunteer to take any mission that would require a few weeks- maybe a month. By the time he returned, surely Genesis would have moved on. And if he was lucky he could, too, where Lilith was concerned.

The doors opened; they were officially back.

No one paid attention to their arrival at first, scurrying past without as much as a nod. Zack shrugged as if to say 'not a big deal', but Kunsel wondered why the pervading sense of urgency. When coupled with the scene downstairs, maybe something big _did_ happen while they'd been gone. He was just about to bring up those thoughts when he spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Jesse Glazer. The 2nd Class checked his stride mid-step, deciding to brave the traffic to cross the hall. He waved to the group with a friendly smile.

"Heya, Zack- all you guys. Good to see you back."

"Hey, Jesse. Good to be back." Zack gestured to the activity going on around them. "What's going on? We go away for a few days and it looks like a mad house around here."

"Yeah, s'pose it is. We had a bit of trouble in Sector 7 a few nights ago." He paused and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, more like a _lot_ of trouble. Barrington's dead, and Ingalls didn't fare much better. He's been out on sick leave on account of the dent someone made in his thick skull. Still no idea who's behind it all, even after Alec and his team spent half of the day rummaging around the rubble."

"Rubble?"

"The bastards blew up half a city block. Right down to the plate. Everything is just gone. Nearly took Alec and the rest of the team with it- they were digging around on Hewley's orders when the burnt-out shell of a building collapsed."

Grim news. Far worse than a simple power outage. And it sounded like the kind of sabotage Fenton's mysterious group might coordinate. Meaning that it might not be necessary to troll the slums at all if they were out in the open. Question was- _why_ do something to draw so much attention to themselves if the group in Junon was so concerned about secrecy? Kunsel might suspect that it was an attempt to direct focus away from the Mayor, but Jesse said this happened the same day they left Midgar. Unless someone already knew about their mission beforehand, that wasn't enough time to put something together.

 _Which would mean they have someone_ inside _Shinra- inside SOLDIER._

"Where in Sector 7?"

He didn't catch who asked the question, but it brought Kunsel back to the conversation at hand. Jesse was quick enough with an answer.

"Walnut and 5th. They say the epicenter of the blast was in the basement of the tailor shop on the corner."

"Damn it."

Heads turned to Lilith, but Luxiere was the first to say anything.

"What?"

"I live above that shop- or _did_ ," she amended in annoyance.

"Sorry," Jesse winced in sympathy. "I guess that means you'll be staying here for a spell- until you find a new place."

"Yeah, I guess." Lilith adjusted the straps of her bag. "And on that note, we're due to meet with the 1st Classes. Best not to keep them waiting."

* * *

Angeal had spent a sleepless night- an all too familiar routine lately- poring over everything he and Sephiroth had compiled about the Leviathan affair. The reports from cities like Banora, the results of the Sector 7 investigation, and Sephiroth's conclusions about the mission logs from Lazard. He suspected they were all pieces of a much larger picture. And like his friend, he suspected Junon would be critical in understanding just how those pieces were connected to one another. Hopefully, their decision to entrust Lilith with the mission had been the right one.

 _I guess it's time to find out._

The 2nd Classes had returned this morning, and were at this moment standing in the hall outside. He nodded to Sephiroth, who stood near the door. In response, his friend turned the knob and ushered the junior SOLDIERs into his office. Lilith led the team, followed by Zack and the others. At first glance, they projected an aura of solemnity. No good-natured smile on any of the four faces- not even Zack's. No sense of accomplishment after a successful mission.

 _That bodes ill._

The quartet lined up across from the desk, awaiting further instruction. Meanwhile, Sephiroth closed the door and crossed the room. They'd agreed that Angeal would handle the debrief regarding the PR mission, so his friend took position at the window and regarded the group silently. No sense in dragging this out for the three guys, and so Angeal got down to business.

"Welcome back."

"Thank you, sir," they chorused in return.

"I spoke with the Mayor's aide this morning, and my impressions are that all went well in Junon."

Mostly. The clerk did mention that Lilith had been less than polite to him about a scheduling 'mix-up', as he called it. Just a _slight_ delay. He'd stressed to Angeal that there'd been no cause for her to be so _rude_. Angeal suspected that the man was trying to minimize just how significant of a delay the team had been expected to wait. Which was why he wasn't overly concerned that Lilith hadn't been willing to back down.

"Although, we had expected to see you back tomorrow. You're back a day early."

Lilith took it upon herself to answer for the group.

"The Mayor's plans changed yesterday afternoon, sir, and he was obliged to cancel the remainder of our engagements. I thought it best to return to Midgar rather than to waste time in hopes he would reschedule them."

Angeal nodded.

"A sensible decision. Director Lazard warned us that the Mayor's time was limited and that we shouldn't be disappointed if some of the events were cancelled."

An understatement. In fact, Lazard all but told them the Mayor had insisted the whole affair was a waste of his time. They were lucky the mission lasted as long as it did. They'd scheduled for three days in the hopes Lilith could keep the politician's interest piqued, giving her time to investigate about the Leviathan. Angeal couldn't help feeling dismayed that the gamble hadn't paid off. How much information could she have gathered in only a day and a half? But he'd let Sephiroth worry about those questions once they got to that part of the meeting.

"We did our best to represent Shinra and SOLDIER for the appointments the Mayor was able to attend."

"Of course. And what are your observations regarding those appointments? Have you anything significant to report?"

He asked the question, not expecting to hear anything out of the ordinary while the others were here. But it would be odd not to insist upon a report at all.

"Actually, sir…yes, we do." She cast a look left and right to her fellow SOLDIERs before continuing. "And not just about the appointments. While we were in Junon, the team noted a number of odd circumstances to bring to Shinra's immediate attention."

It was difficult, but Angeal kept his eyes on the 2nd Classes instead of looking to Sephiroth. From what Lilith just said, it sounded like she was unable to keep her mission secret from her colleagues. Angeal wasn't quite so concerned about Zack or Kunsel, but Luxiere…his impulsive nature was a serious concern. It was well-known around Headquarters that no secret was safe with him for very long.

 _Not good. Not good at all._

"Go on," he bade her stoically.

"The city is not recovering from the attack as well as the Mayor wanted us to believe. It was obvious from the beginning that our appointments with the press and business owners were designed to spend as little time as possible in areas that actually suffered from the Leviathan's destruction. In addition, he vehemently blocked all requests- or the mere suggestion- to speak with anyone who was.

"Of what little we were given permission to see, sir, the team and I can attest that the city is still facing serious infrastructural issues. The wharf is half-deserted and mostly in no better condition than how we left it a month ago. City blocks in the vicinity are in poor condition- including the hotel we stayed in. Most show signs of severe water damage. It is unclear why nothing is being done, or why the Mayor's office is appearing to ignore the matter."

He couldn't say whether or not he was relieved when Lilith concluded her report. Nothing in it confirmed that the other 2nd Classes knew about the orders she'd been given for the Junon mission. On the other hand, Angeal was not comforted in hearing that the situation in Junon was so dire and so obvious that those orders almost hadn't been necessary. Because if it had been that obvious to the four SOLDIERs before him, it _should_ have been obvious to any SOLDIER currently stationed in the city. And not _one_ report had come across his desk bearing news of this.

"I wish that were the worst of what we discovered, sir," Lilith continued.

 _It gets_ worse _?_ He was almost afraid to ask what could be _worse_.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, sir. Yesterday, we met with several members of the press- the senior staff of the _Junon Sentinel_. The Mayor was _not_ present," she added- emphasis on the word 'not'. Angeal understood what _wasn't_ being said, and allowed her to continue without interruption. "They requested the meeting in order to tell us about an underground organization that has been abducting citizens. Dozens of people are reported missing all over the city. And again, no one is doing anything about it- including the Mayor's office."

Abductions. Missing citizens. Here at last, a concrete link to the other puzzle pieces. He held his breath, and yet tried not to reveal just how important that bit of information was. Beside him, Sephiroth was likewise concealing his thoughts. And although he would prefer to wait until they were speaking to with Lilith alone, a statement like that required some kind of response. Angeal chose what he hoped would be a straightforward question.

"Were they able to provide any names of members of this organization?"

"No, sir. They have tried without success to make any positive identification. However," Lilith exhaled slowly. "Fenton did insinuate that at least one member of the group is likely working as part of the Mayor's staff."

"Anyone in particular?"

A beat of silence.

"The Mayor himself."

 _Yes, this is all_ much _worse than we thought._ The natural question to ask would be whether Lilith had any evidence that the allegations were true. But he couldn't do that with the others present. Just in case she _did_ have evidence that none of them were aware of. And so to play it safe, he backed off of the topic for the time being.

"Curious that the journalists would turn over this information to you four."

"I believe they saw our presence in Junon as an opportunity to pass word onto Shinra, sir."

 _There's more to that answer, I bet._

"I see. Well, we appreciate your having brought this to our attention, and will see that it is communicated to the appropriate channels."

"Thank you, sir."

"Is there anything else to report?"

"No, sir."

Angeal repeated his query to each of the others, giving them an opportunity to speak. Their response was unanimous: nothing to report. Satisfied, he dismissed the team, but kept Lilith under the pretense of wanting to review her first assignment as mission leader. Zack spoke up then, requesting a meeting with him later that day. Likely to discuss _his_ thoughts on Lilith's leadership skills. Angeal agreed, ordering the 2nd Class to return to his office at two-thirty.

With that settled, Zack and the other two left. Now the real interview could begin. This time, he let Sephiroth take the lead in asking the questions, since the mission had been his idea. His friend stepped away from the window and circled Lilith.

"So. Now that we've dispensed with your friends, perhaps you will be so kind as to provide us with your _official_ report on activities in Junon."


	29. Chapter 29: Messengers and Messages

"Yes, sir." She drew in a breath. "Where shall I begin?"

Sephiroth considered very carefully before answering that question. Lilith had already confirmed some of his and Angeal's worst suspicions about Junon and its Mayor. The other three 2nd Classes had unwittingly helped her to complete her own mission. At least they didn't _appear_ to be aware of any orders beyond what they'd been given. He'd find out whether or not that assumption held true soon enough. But either way, he thought it all the better that they'd made themselves useful; the expense of sending all four of them to Junon had been well worth it.

No doubt Angeal was far more concerned that Fair and the other two had gotten involved in the other half of this mission. Mostly Fair. Sephiroth knew his friend was grooming the 2nd Class to advance in rank. Given Lilith's initial report, intrigues with the Mayor could have ended disastrously for his favorite protégé. When she mentioned disappearances and abductions, he knew Angeal would have been thinking about their list of unaccounted for SOLDIERs. The wrong move in Junon, and that list might have gotten a little longer.

"Your colleagues covered the general status of Junon," he said at last. "So what interests me is what you were able to discover about the Mayor's involvement. Specifically, I want to know if the theories presented to you at the _Junon Sentinel_ are true."

Lilith nodded.

"They are."

"In what way is he connected to this organization, then?"

"The Mayor is a high level operative, but not its leader. Though I'm not entirely sure how large the network is- or how many levels exist within it- I was able to learn that he reports to someone higher still."

So, they were dealing with an opponent with significant political clout if the Mayor was taking orders. Sephiroth didn't like it. That kind of power pointed to a target he preferred not to think as his enemy. But the more pieces he obtained in this puzzle, the more it looked as though he may have no alternative. Depending on Lilith's answer to his next question, it may be a foregone conclusion.

"Were you able to discover who that is?"

"No, sir, I was not. I got the impression that members of the same level are marginally familiar with the identities of one another, but are told relatively little about who they report to."

Sephiroth was not surprised. He would do the same in their position, as it afforded the most protection and ensured the organization's survival. In the event a subordinate were captured, he or she would not be able to betray the entire group. Yet another sign that their enemy understood the value of tactical planning and possessed intelligence far greater than those who had come before. They would not be defeated easily.

 _If we're going to convince Lazard to give us the resources we'll need to do it, I'll need to come to him with more than just the word of a 2_ _nd_ _Class, though._

Hopefully, Lilith had enough foresight to have collected something tangible to corroborate her report. A recorded conversation, perhaps. Or if they were lucky, some document- a note or an entry in his calendar. Anything he could use to tie the Mayor to this underground organization. Sephiroth knew the chances of finding any of that were slim, but he asked her all the same.

"All very interesting. And potentially very valuable information- if you possess proof of what you say."

"I do, sir."

Lilith reached for a pocket of her fatigues, retrieving a cell phone and what looked like a plain, white envelope. She handed the latter to Sephiroth. He turned it over in his hands, seeing no address or indication who it was for. Just a date printed in the top left corner. Something about it felt familiar, tugging at a memory that he tried to place in his mind. With no luck, he gave up.

"What is this," he queried.

"I uncovered a cache of letters the Mayor received from this organization. Most all of them had been opened and read before they were stored for safekeeping, but this one had been buried and forgotten." A momentary pause as she shrugged. "I took it."

Quite the bold move. Judging by the expression on Angeal's face, not one that he entirely condoned. Certainly not something Fair would have done, having been instilled with his friend's code of honor that would have seen stealing as wrong. Even when the theft could mean the difference between success and failure at his mission. Sephiroth understood the virtues of that mindset, but did not hesitate to set it aside when it might cost him a victory.

 _It would seem the lady shares that pragmatism._

"And just where did you discover these letters?"

The answer wasn't really all that important; he was merely curious. Sephiroth examined the unopened envelope for a full minute before realizing that Lilith hadn't yet replied. He raised his eyes to her face, reading a certain level of reticence in her expression. Interesting. Until now, she had answered every question promptly. His intuition was telling him that she did not want to answer this one; Sephiroth patiently waited out her reluctance. Fortunately, she did not make him repeat the question.

"The Mayor's private apartments."

 _And just how did you find yourself_ there _, I wonder?_ He quirked an eyebrow in silent question, but the lady did not elaborate as to the circumstances of her visit, or what else may have taken place. From the other side of the desk, Angeal was clearly trying to conceal how scandalized he was. Yet another decision that did not quite fit with his strict moral code. As for Sephiroth, he truly didn't care how she got the letter. He let the subject drop without pressing her further.

"And what of the other letters?"

"I couldn't risk them being missed and left them where I found them. But I did take these." She pulled up a folder of photos on her cell and offered it to him. He set the envelope on Angeal's desk to accept. "Every page. I can forward them."

Resourceful. Very resourceful. While not as good as having the physical letters in hand, the photos could be used to their advantage. Sephiroth flipped through the images, passing a cursory glance at the contents. Nearly two dozen photos in all. Quite the trove of information, once he and Angeal had the time to examine it properly and in more detail. He was about to congratulate her on the job well done when he came to the next photo. Not a letter- something else.

Tilting the screen towards Lilith, he asked, "What are these?"

"Ledgers," she replied. "I found them alongside the letters, sir. They outline meetings and transactions the Mayor conducted on behalf of the organization."

Sephiroth said nothing at first, browsing through the next set of images. They seemed to go on forever. He stopped before reaching the end, and handed the phone back to her. Lilith slipped it back into her pocket.

"I'll tell you where to send those later today. Out of curiosity- just how many photos did you take?"

"I don't know for certain…maybe sixty. Could be seventy."

 _That kind of operation takes time. A_ lot _of time. So where was the Mayor when you were recording his undercover activities?_

A theory took shape in the back of his mind. Intuition again. Nothing concrete or anything Sephiroth could put into words, but the tiniest spark of an idea. He didn't ask her directly, though, not quite trusting how Angeal might react to her answer. It might be best if he waited for another opportunity to pursue that particular line of questioning.

"I must say, this is most impressive."

"Thank-you, sir."

"Which leaves me with one very important question. Did you manage to complete this mission without being discovered?"

* * *

They'd left Angeal's office and were waiting for Lilith in the common room. Or at least Kunsel was, having missed his chance to tell her about what he'd learned from Vestra. Would have been better if he'd managed to get that to her before the debrief, but the opportunity passed him by when Jesse stopped to tell them the news about Sector 7. She'd have to find some reason to go back so she could deliver his information to the 1st Classes.

As for Zack and Luxiere, he wasn't sure why they hung around here instead of going home. After a mission, no one was expected to be on watch or anything, so it was common to take off once you finished a debrief. But maybe they were interested to hear how things went when Lilith got back. Kunsel just hoped they wouldn't stick around very long so he could get this over with. He had no desire to be at Headquarters any longer than necessary today.

Their group was joined by Jesse and a few other 2nd Classes, all of them eager to find out about the mysterious mission to Junon. Everyone had been speculating on the reasons why they'd been sent there, but no one knew for certain. Kunsel listened to the conversation with half an ear, largely occupied with his own thoughts. Whether he had anything in the fridge worth eating, or if he'd have to order in tonight. How glad he'd be to spend the night in his own bed. Simple things.

Wasn't long, though, before those thoughts turned back to Junon. And Lilith. He was especially curious- despite telling himself not to be- about her meeting with the Mayor last night. When he'd returned to the Mystique, he hadn't been expecting to see her there. It made things easier, of course, since it meant he didn't have to lie to his friends about where she was. But he'd wondered what it meant that she'd come back so soon. Perhaps that things had gone well.

 _Or they went extremely wrong and she found nothing._

He'd wanted to ask about it when they'd stood outside their rooms at the hotel. Even though Lilith didn't appear to be as unstable as she'd been the night before, she was clearly mentally and physically exhausted from the ordeal. It had been difficult not to ask her if she was all right, but Kunsel managed to hold back. He could not afford to reopen that door, knowing that if he did he might not have the strength to close it again. And since Lilith didn't broach the subject herself, Kunsel told himself he'd made the right choice. That didn't mean that he believed it, though.

 _There's nothing but heartache waiting for you at the end of that path, Kunsel, so just let it go._

"Completely destroyed?"

"Yeah, sucks doesn't it?"

"But what's she going to do, then?"

The conversation around him had turned to the explosion in Sector 7. Kunsel realized that they were discussing the fate of Lilith's apartment, and couldn't help the way it dragged his attention back to the group.

"Said she's going to stay here," Jesse answered. "At least until she finds a new place."

"I can't imagine what it's like to lose everything," Willem commented with a shake of his head. "To have to start all over…"

"Could be worse." That from Luxiere, who had tipped his chair on its back legs while he kept his gaze on the ceiling. Both Jesse and Willem threw him doubtful looks. Luxiere ignored their skepticism and said, "If not for that shitty mission Angeal gave us, she would've been in that apartment when the bloody thing exploded."

Their friends regarded him mutely, expressions shocked and horrified. Zack rounded on Luxiere and gave him a light shove, nearly toppling him over in the process.

"Why would you even _say_ something like that, Lux!?"

"What, it's true, isn't it?"

It was. Any number of changes could have put Lilith inside her apartment that night. They could have missed the airship; Angeal could have taken her off the mission. Anything. And she'd be dead. Kunsel couldn't quite suppress the chill that thought sent through him. Or the doubts that tried to creep in, whispering reasons why he should change his mind. By the time he'd fought them back, everyone had gone. Everyone except Zack, who looked as though he wanted to say something.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, it's definitely something. Go on and say it."

His friend hesitated a moment before suggesting, "I was just thinking that maybe you ought to ask Lilith if she wants to stay with you."

"No," Kunsel insisted firmly- squelching any chance that he might actually entertain that thought. "That's _not_ an option."

"Why not?"

He understood why his friend would be confused. The other 2nd Class knew nothing of what really happened between him and Lilith in Junon, and as far as _he_ knew, they were still friends. Of course Zack would see this as an opportunity to become more than friends. Sure, Kunsel had expressed reluctance to pursue any of that to his friend, but he hadn't told him it was a foregone decision. Even if he was of the mind to explain any of that to him, this was not the moment- or the place- to do it. Instead, Kunsel delivered a lackluster sort of answer and hoped it'd be enough to drop the subject.

"It's complicated, Zack."

They stared at one another for a full minute, and then Zack said, "Funny…that's the same thing Lilith told me before we left Junon."

"Told you _why_?" _Just what were you talking about before I came down this morning?_ "About _what_?"

"About you."

"That still doesn't answer the why. Why was she talking about me with you?"

"Because I didn't give her much of a choice after seeing how things went down last night."

"You mean with Vestra? That had nothing to do with Lilith." His friend offered no verbal reply, but his expression spoke volumes. Enough to make Kunsel question his perception of what happened yesterday. "Did _she_ say it did? Zack?"

"Ask her yourself. That's my advice." He offered a salute and a nod as he took his leave. "See you later, Kunsel."

"Yeah. See you."

 _Have I missed something?_

* * *

She lowered her gaze, grimacing. Not the most promising indication that her next words would be in the affirmative. Sephiroth couldn't say that he wasn't disappointed, but considering the amount of information she'd brought back, he might be willing to overlook this one failure. That all depended on just _who_ was aware of her assignment.

"I'm afraid I was not entirely successful in that respect, sir," Lilith admitted at last. "Zack and Luxiere still know nothing of my mission- though it was not easy after the meeting at the _Junon Sentinel._ "

Leaving one 2nd Class who likely _did_ become aware. Of the three, hardly the worst. Nor did it surprise Sephiroth, really, that Kunsel would have ferreted out the information. Given what he knew of the man following the last mission to Junon, Lilith would have a difficult time hiding her clandestine meetings with the Mayor from _him_. Even though he'd already guessed what happened, Sephiroth didn't let up until she explained it for herself.

"But?"

"Kunsel knows. I went to the Mayor's office the first evening and he followed me. He overheard too much of the conversation for me _not_ to tell him."

Something in the tone of her voice suggested that if he pried into that answer, Sephiroth would hear more to that story. Question was- was it of any importance to him or the mission? He suspected not, and kept the discussion moving forward.

"And his response?"

"He didn't tell the others- and still won't," she added quickly. "In fact, he helped me maintain my cover during the rest of the mission. Even took it upon himself to investigate one of the Mayor's subordinates last night while I was in the apartment."

"Are you in a position to tell us what he learned?"

She shook her head regretfully.

"Kunsel and I were not able to compare notes this morning without raising suspicion from the others."

"Just as well," Sephiroth answered. "Given the circumstances, we would have to meet with him, anyway. As far as security risks go, at least this appears to have been a manageable one. Perhaps even fortunate."

"Yes, sir. I do apologize that I was not more careful. Fortunate or not, I accept responsibility for my failure-"

"Never mind that," Angeal insisted, interrupting Lilith's apology. "You did well in getting as much information as you did, and without alerting the Mayor."

At first, Sephiroth thought little at her lack of reply and doubtful expression. Naturally, she would focus on any failure- even if it turned out to be positive- than on her success. He had seen that trait play out before. But as the seconds ticked by, an uncomfortable suspicion grew. A quick look to Angeal told him that his friend felt the same. When Sephiroth was certain that he wasn't imagining that something was wrong, he decided to ask the question both of them were dreading.

"Lilith- _is_ the Mayor aware that you were investigating him?" She didn't answer, and so he prompted her sharply. "Well?"

"It's not as easy a question as it may seem," she replied slowly.

"I don't see what is so difficult. It's either yes or no."

"It's both."

"And just how can that be?"

She took a breath and exhaled before launching into her explanation.

"Someone told him why I was there. Either before we arrived at his office the first afternoon, or sometime after the first press conference. But he revealed he knew why I'd come to Junon when I met with him in his office that evening." Lilith's gaze remained fixed on Sephiroth as she added, "And who sent me."

A spy. She was telling them that someone in SOLDIER was on the enemy's side. Not just anyone, but someone who would have been trusted to know what he and Angeal were planning. _Or merely someone who had overheard us_. Sephiroth couldn't rule out that possibility. The two of them had kept their meetings late enough that they _thought_ everyone had left for the day, but maybe someone hung around on the off-chance they'd hear something.

 _Are they listening to us even now?_

None of those thoughts sat comfortably. Not with him, and certainly not with Angeal. They would have to discuss what to do about this once they'd dismissed Lilith from the office. If SOLDIER did harbor a spy, they couldn't trust that his office was safe. At least not until the spy was discovered…and _eliminated_. In the meantime, Sephiroth bade Lilith continue with her explanation.

"But he let you return to Midgar with evidence incriminating him. I confess that I find that behavior extremely strange."

"I convinced him that he'd been misinformed."

"And he believed you?"

"I was _very_ convincing," she told them, her meaning clear.

"I see."

"It worked long enough for me to complete my mission, but the Mayor will know before long that he's been fooled. He will not know what I discovered while I was there, but he will know that he failed to stop me."

Sephiroth weighed the implications behind those words, calculating what the Mayor might do. Shinra- or more specifically, Lazard- would hear nothing of this; the enemy couldn't afford to tip their hand until they knew for certain what she had discovered. Something they could task their spy within SOLDIER to do. But that investigative work would cost them valuable time. As he stared at Lilith, Sephiroth hit upon their most likely course of action.

"Which means you'll be their next target," he asserted. "They'll want to know what you told us."

Angeal blanched, but Lilith didn't even flinch when she agreed, "I expect so."

"Sephiroth, we can't-"

"I think the answer is obvious, Angeal. Until this is resolved and we know who we're dealing with, we have to take measures that she's sufficiently guarded. Even if that means keeping her quarantined here at Headquarters."

Surprisingly, no argument from Lilith on that last part. He'd expected her to protest at least a little. But his friend did that on her behalf.

"We can't force her to stay here. We don't even know how long this will take."

"Do you have a better option?"

"Well…"

"We're going with this plan."

"Sephiroth."

"I, um," Lilith broke into their debate tentatively. "Actually, I was already planning to stay here."

They both turned to her, but it was Angeal who was able to formulate a question first.

"Why?"

"I lived in Sector 7. I heard about the explosion. My apartment, well…it was above the tailor shop. So it's been pretty much obliterated. I was going to request permission to stay here until I could sort out my living arrangements."

A convenient disaster, as it ended the argument about where Lilith would stay. But Sephiroth was somewhat uneasy about the coincidence. Not to mention the timing. The explosion happened the first night of the mission, after the spy had communicated their plans to the enemy. Suppose the explosion was a backup plan in case Lilith didn't get on the airship as planned that afternoon? She would have been in that building. And even if that wasn't the plan, what else might they have gotten out of destroying that particular building? Again, more questions Sephiroth found unsettling.

"I guess that settles it. For now, anyway," Angeal capitulated with an aggravated sigh. "I'll see to the logistics and let you know later this afternoon."

"I appreciate it, sir."

"Is there anything _else_ we ought to know?"

"I believe that's everything, sir."

"Sephiroth?"

"I'm satisfied."

"Well, then I think we're done here."

Lilith excused herself from the office. Sephiroth waited until the door closed before he remarked, "I must say, Angeal, that didn't go as either of us expected. But you have to admit she got us what we wanted."

Angeal's glance fell to the envelope on his desk. "Let's hope we don't regret having asked."

* * *

Genesis skirted the edges of the ever increasing crowd in the lobby, grateful in this instance not to be the center of attention. These were not the typical fangirls who loitered around Headquarters waiting for a glimpse of Shinra's elite SOLDIERs. No, these were the disgruntled residents of Sector 7, camped out for the third day in a row and growing impatient for answers.

 _Not my problem._

He punched the button to call the elevator and slouched against the wall as he waited for it to arrive. Seemed to be taking forever this morning. By the time the doors opened, a group of 2nd and 3rd Classes had arrived. Genesis loathed the idea that he'd have to suffer their presence on the ride upstairs, especially when he saw just _who_ he'd be sharing it with. Hard to miss the spikey, blonde hair.

 _Oh not_ you _again,_ he groaned inwardly. _Three months and we barely crossed paths. These last few days you're there whenever I turn around._

If he was displeased, Jekke was no less so. She didn't say a word to him, but her aquamarine eyes bore through him with condemnation. Still trying to make him regret the remarks he'd made to her. And still failing at it. Genesis smirked in response before stepping into the waiting elevator.

The others filed in behind, taking care to keep well away from him. And since Jekke was last to cross the thresh hold, she had no choice but to stand in one of the remaining open spaces nearest him. She did so, glowering. He was tempted to bait the woman into unleashing that resentment, knowing that whatever she said would only serve to embarrass her in the end. But she might take the matter up with Angeal, and Genesis didn't need another complaint lodged against him. Even from the likes of a glorified fangirl.

After a long, silent ride, the elevator stopped on the 49th floor. Everyone scattered the moment the doors opened, rushing off without a backward glance as they melded with the other SOLDIERS milling around. Genesis ignored the unpleasant feeling that they'd all been snubbing _him_ instead of the other way around. He stalked through the corridor, catching snatches of conversation from the junior SOLDIERs in his midst.

"…back from Junon."

His attention caught on those words, spoken by a 2nd Class who looked vaguely familiar. The name escaped him now. Unimportant, really. Genesis was far more interested in what he'd said. It sounded like Fair and his entourage were back in Midgar. He lingered a little while, hoping to hear more.

"Arrived this morning."

"They say anything about Junon"

"No. Jesse said they were headed to see-"

Conversation stopped abruptly. It took Genesis a minute to understand why. The group of 2nd and 3rd Classes were all regarding him mutely. A silent, hostile wall of resentment. They wouldn't say another word so long as he was around. So Genesis left, sauntering away as if he hadn't cared one way or another what any of them thought.

 _Even though you do._

 _Hardly,_ he quickly denied. _I don't need the approval or goodwill of anyone who isn't my equal._

 _Or even of those who are- so it seems of late._

 _If you're referring to Sephiroth and Angeal, the hell with either of them._

But speaking of those two…Genesis would bet if he sought out the latter's office he'd find the 2nd Classes. Standard procedure required a debrief with senior commanders when returning from a mission. So while he had little interest in seeing Sephiroth or Angeal, he made up his mind to swing by the office in hopes of catching Lilith.

 _At least_ that _problem will be dealt with and I can tell Danita she can have her meeting._

Although, now that he thought about it, Danita hadn't brought up the subject at all yesterday. Odd, given how upset she was about missing the chance a few days ago. If it was so important, he would have expected her to keep asking after it. Or at least to have reminded him about it before he got out of bed this morning. Maybe Danita's interest had been spur of the moment and had passed just as quickly. Women were like that.

 _Don't want to assume and find out I'm wrong, though. Better to just set it up. If Danita's not interested it won't be a big deal to tell Lilith it's off._

Genesis altered course accordingly. When he turned the corner, the band of SOLDIERs coming the opposite direction scattered to avoid running into him. A different group, but their looks were no less hostile. He ignored them. Ignored the undercurrent of hushed whispers that followed him down the hall, too. It scratched at his temper, nonetheless. Thankfully, the area outside Angeal's door was clear. No sign of any junior SOLDIERs hanging around.

Just one problem: The door was closed.

Ordinarily, Genesis would have walked right in- even if a debrief was in process. Sure that his presence would be welcome. Hell, most times, he would have been _invited_ , whether he chose to attend or not. He wasn't so sure now. In fact, those two would be more apt to see it as an intrusion. Before he could decide whether or not to walk in, anyway, the door opened to admit Lilith into the corridor. She didn't notice him as she turned around to pull it closed.

 _Fortunate timing on my part, I must say. Couldn't have worked out better if I'd planned it._

"Well, well- fancy the chances of meeting you here again, Lilith."

She spun on her heel, clearly startled. When she had a minute to process just who had greeted her, that surprise quickly shifted to annoyance.

"Oh this is so not what I need right now," she complained before she could stop herself. The very next second, Lilith winced and whispered what might have been a mild curse under her breath. She exhaled slowly and schooled her expression to appear more polite. "Apologies, sir. I did not intend to be disrespectful."

He ought to be annoyed. A 2nd Class should _never_ have spoken to him that way- apology or not. But it was the swiftness of her transformation back to formal courtesy that disarmed him. Genesis shook his head, unable to contain a somewhat bemused chuckle.

"I'm curious- how do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Flip the switch between your honest reaction to a false mask of how you're expected to behave?"

Lilith regarded him warily, unsure how to take his question. Or how she ought to answer it, for that matter. No doubt she suspected a trap of some kind. And normally, she would have been right. This time, however, Genesis' interest was merely to satisfy his own curiosity. Nothing more. At last, Lilith offered a reluctant reply.

"Practice."

He suspected that she wanted to add that he had provided her with a lot opportunities to practice that particular skill lately. But Lilith wouldn't say it aloud. Certainly not to his face. As it was, Lilith was eager to change the subject.

"I'm sure you'll want to see Hewley and the commander, sir, so I'll be going."

"See them?" Genesis scoffed. "Hardly. I have better things to do with my time."

He probably shouldn't have said that- not to a 2nd Class. While he wasn't on the best terms with Angeal and Sephiroth, he knew the value in presenting the image of a unified front when dealing with the junior ranks. Lilith's speculative look warned him that he'd just damaged that perception. Genesis ignored that warning and pushed on in the hopes he could distract the woman from thinking on it.

"Like talking to you," he added with a flattering grin.

If anything, that made things worse. Lilith's eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head.

"Now I know that can't be true."

"It is, though. I have a very good reason to want to see you today."

Another dubious look.

"Why?"

"If you recall, you said that you'd meet with Danita when you returned," he reminded her. "Well, you're back."

A minute or two passed as Lilith stared at him blankly. Obviously, she'd forgotten their conversation while she'd been in Junon. But just when his patience was running out, something must have jogged her memory.

"Meet with…oh, right, that woman you mentioned. The one from…"

"Junon," he finished when Lilith trailed off. "Yes, that's her. She's still eager to see you." _I hope she is, anyway._

She shifted from one foot to the other, indecision plain. Genesis couldn't think for the life of him what Lilith could be debating. It was just an hour or so. Danita would ply her with questions and whatever else females talked about amongst themselves, and then it'd be over. Not a big deal.

"Well, I suppose I could," Lilith agreed. Finally. "If she's available noon tomorrow, I could see her while on break for lunch."

"Why not today?"

 _The sooner I get this done, the better._

Lilith sighed, casting a look around the mostly empty hallway.

"I just got back this morning, sir. After being away for the last two days, there are things I need to do."

" _Two days_. How much could _you_ need to do?"

Another sigh. Well, more like a grumble as she muttered, "Plenty."

"Such as?"

"It's really none of your business, sir."

The hell it wasn't. He was a 1st Class. That entitled him to make anything his business if he wanted. Genesis didn't budge, waiting for her answer. Lilith held his gaze for several minutes until she realized that he would stand there all day if he had to. Her jaw clenched, but she kept her tone mostly civil when she replied.

"If you _must_ know, my apartment was destroyed in the Sector 7 blast. I've all _that_ to sort out."

Wasn't that an interesting turn of events? Now this was an opportunity Genesis just couldn't let pass by. He should. Teasing Lilith could push her to refuse a meeting with Danita. _If she does, I'll just issue her an order to do it._ Either way, well worth a bit of entertainment.

"No place to stay? I would be remiss if I left a lady in such a distressing situation." He braced one hand on the wall, leaning close. "I'd be more than happy to offer my place as an alternative- if you'd be interested in changing your mind about sharing a bed."

He'd expected her to stammer a refusal, or to lose her temper; she did neither. Just regarded him in judgmental silence until Genesis regretted having taunted her. Unlike Jekke, Lilith's stare got under his skin. Itched at his…well, he didn't want to say _conscience_ \- but he was far from comfortable under the scrutiny of that violet gaze. And then she ducked under his arm, heading towards the locker room.

"I don't think your _lady friend_ would be so enamored with that offer," she retorted without turning around. "Thanks just the same, sir, but I think I can manage for myself."

Genesis could think of no response, not quite sure what to make of Lilith. She'd changed in those two days spent in Junon. Maybe it was the mission…or something else. When she used that exactingly formal tone with him, he thought they were back to the same game as before. Yeah, she'd throw out a barbed response, but he still held the upper hand. Still led their verbal skirmishes and dictated the rules to play by. Clearly, she'd stopped abiding by those rules, and somehow, he'd lost his advantage.

 _So what are the rules now?_

With no answer to that question, he could only call out after her, "So you'll meet with Danita tomorrow, then?"

"Noon. If she wants to see me, I'll be in the downstairs lobby."

He watched her disappear around the corner before pulling out his cell phone to text Danita the plan.


	30. Chapter 30: Discoveries

To Angeal, those words rang more with prophecy than anything else. He wasn't naïve. No matter _how_ this ended, they were almost guaranteed to regret investigating the Leviathan affair. Or at least he would. Rather, _did_. He certainly regretted discovering that SOLDIER was harboring a spy. One of their own was willing to betray them- and had already done so, according to Lilith's report regarding Junon. Which only led him to still more regret, because Angeal suspected he knew exactly what she meant when she'd said she'd _convinced_ the Mayor that she wasn't a spy.

 _That was_ never _part of the plan._

Dismay that his colleague and friend didn't appear to share. Sephiroth thought nothing Lilith being in the Mayor's private apartments. Perhaps the lack of reaction was meant to keep her talking about the evidence, rather than to divert her to a side discussion about the circumstances. Angeal doubted it. Far more likely that he simply did not care either way. He felt honor-bound to bring up the subject now that they were alone, even though he didn't think much would come of it.

"Sephiroth, you realize that she almost certainly used sex to get this information for us, don't you?"

His friend had retrieved the letter from his desk and was using a letter opener to separate the glue holding the envelope closed. He didn't raise his eyes as he worked the thin metal blade between the layers of vellum with surgical precision. At first, Angeal thought he wouldn't answer. But then Sephiroth glanced up, expression mildly thoughtful.

"It's not impossible." He went back to the letter, discarding its envelope while adding, "If that's what it would take, I wouldn't be surprised if she did."

"And you're okay with that?"

Sephiroth lowered the pages and gave him his full attention.

"I gather you're not."

"Honestly? No. That's not something she should feel obligated to do. No matter how useful the information might be."

"I would remind you, Angeal, that we didn't order Lilith to go to such lengths."

They both knew better, and he found Sephiroth's attempt to suggest otherwise unworthy of someone of their rank. As elite commanders in SOLDIER, honor demanded that they take responsibility for the orders they issued. _Even the orders that were less than honorable._ Angeal didn't like admitting to this one, but he owed it to Lilith to be honest about their part in what happened in Junon.

"If you mean we never gave a specific order, you're right. But she knew that failing the mission wasn't an option. You can't tell me that wouldn't have a significant impact on her decision."

"We can argue about this all day, my friend, but in the end it changes nothing. The important thing is that we have evidence we can use against the Mayor and whatever group he's working for." His friend turned his attention back to the page. "Try to keep focused."

Just as he thought, Sephiroth was disinterested in the means- the end result was all that concerned him.

"I still don't like it," he muttered.

"If it'll settle your conscience, bring it up with Lilith. Be my guest. In the meantime, I'll sift through the intelligence she brought back and formulate our next plan of attack."

He wouldn't, no matter how deeply the whole business was troubling him. Sephiroth was right. Whatever Lilith _did_ do in Junon, it was already done. Bringing it up wouldn't change that fact, and so he dropped the subject with an aggravated sigh. After a long silence, Angeal prompted his fellow 1st Class about the contents of the letter.

"So what's it say?"

"Hmmm?"

"The letter."

"Precisely what I suspected. The Mayor knew about the Oceanus before we arrived to fight the Leviathan. It was supposed to be one of two, actually, but his fellow conspirators weren't able to produce the second one in time."

Angeal still wondered where they found the first. No one had actually _seen_ an Oceanus for generations. They'd fallen into legend even since he was a boy- to the point he'd doubted they'd ever existed at all. Truly, it had been a shame that it had been slain in that battle, necessary as it was. How had this group had coerced it to attack Junon was a mystery even now. But to hear that they'd been expecting a _second_ …

"Fortunate for us that they didn't. We would have been hard pressed to battle three serpents- even with the help of the 2nd Classes."

"That was the idea." Sephiroth continued to read onto the second page, at which point his eyebrows shot up unexpectedly. "Well, now _that's_ certainly interesting."

"What is?"

"See for yourself." His friend handed the letter across the desk. "Two thirds down the page."

He took it and began to read. Nothing unusual at first. Tactics and discussion about their achievements- not to mention failures- in staging the Leviathan battle. All very much to be expected. And then his attention caught on a word he'd seen only recently. Incavia. The scorched notes from Sector 7 contained only fragmented references, but no clear indication what it meant. This document provided a much clearer picture. Angeal re-read the paragraph just to be sure before laying it down carefully on his desk.

"They're mad. What would possess someone to create such an abomination?"

"The same ambition that drives Shinra, I should think. The zeal for power."

"They're nothing like us," he denied vehemently.

"No?" Sephiroth arched a silver brow. "I've heard whispers that what Shinra's done to harness the power of the Lifestream is a corruption of its purpose. That its scientists and researchers are traitors to Gaia and should be stopped- or worse."

"Whispers from whom?"

"People careful enough not to give their names. But that's not my point, Angeal. I ask you…how is what we do that much different?"

"It's different because we're not killing innocent people."

The words were spoken forcefully and with all the conviction Angeal could muster, but rang somewhat hollow the moment they were said. His friend did him the favor of not pointing that out, though his expression conveyed the sentiment easy enough. Sephiroth picked up the letter, studying it closely once more.

"I will grant you, Angeal, their methods of creating these Incavia spheres is more blatantly criminal than anything connected to Shinra. At least anything anyone can prove."

That did not make him feel any better.

"And I'm sure the findings will be even worse once Lilith sends me the photos. I'm particularly curious to examine the contents of the other letters. The ledgers, too."

"Do you think we could get them printed? It'd make them easier to read."

"That it would, but I wouldn't trust doing it here. Or at any of the print shops on the plate, for that matter. Too risky that someone might talk."

Angeal didn't like where this could be headed. He got up from behind his desk and stood beside his friend. In a low voice, he queried, "You're not thinking to take that information into the slums, are you? You know what it's like down there."

"It's a place where no one asks questions."

"We can't be seen down there, Sephiroth. That alone would inspire questions."

"We send Lilith, then. Shinra always keeps a few patrols trolling the slum. A token effort that the company is looking out for everyone in the city."

A _very_ token effort. In reality, Shinra concerned itself very little over the fate of those unfortunate enough to live in the undercity. The board executives took notice of the slums only when the chaos and lawlessness threatened business as usual for life in the Sectors above. Angeal suspected that was the true reason why Shinra installed patrols at all. An ever present reminder that they were under military surveillance.

The types who lived on some of its rougher streets didn't care for SOLDIERs. More than once, a 3rd Class came back from patrolling the slums with bruises courtesy of gangs wanting to send Shinra a message in return. He picked assignments carefully for that particular duty, favoring stockier SOLDIERs in the hopes that it might deter the would-be assailants. Certainly _never_ sent females down there before, and didn't aim to start now.

"That's no place for her- SOLDIER or not."

"We can send her friend with her, since he already knows about the mission. I'm sure he'll be motivated to keep her out of trouble."

Angeal studied the other man in silence for a minute or two. He was talking about sending two SOLDIERs into the ugliest part of Midgar. Into the heart of its most impoverished people- a place where crime was rampant. Including murder. It bothered him that Sephiroth was so indifferent about playing with their lives.

"They could encounter far more than trouble down there, Sephiroth. And this isn't the time to bargain with the lives of what SOLDIERs we have. Not when we're coming up much shorter than we thought."

It wasn't the argument he wanted to make, but it was the one Sephiroth was most likely to heed. At the very least, it got his attention.

"I'm surprised you have such little faith. If they managed to navigate the nefarious plotting of the Mayor and his organization for two days, I think they will survive a few hours in the slums."

And that would be the end of it. Sephiroth had obviously made up his mind on the matter, and would not be deterred.

"I suppose you'll convey those orders- or shall I?"

"Given that I intended to speak with the 2nd Class later this afternoon, I'll do it. Likely while you're meeting with Fair."

His friend headed for the door, as if he intended to end the discussion there. But at the mention of the name, Angeal was prompted to ask another question.

"About that. I was thinking that given how things have developed over the past few days, Fair might be a better asset to us if he were to know more about why they were truly sent to Junon."

Sephiroth paused, considering the idea.

"You know him better than I do- can he be trusted to keep the details confidential? We can't afford for word to get around the junior ranks just yet."

"I agree. And I am confident that he can."

"Then I leave that up to you, Angeal. But one whisper of our investigation around Headquarters…"

"I know."

And with that, his friend resumed walking.

"Where are you going?"

"I'd planned to work on the Materia training schedule this afternoon. Now that we've got a sense of how Junon went, I have an idea where to begin. So I'm going to the Mako Infusion Room. We'll talk tonight about the evidence from Lilith. I'll fill you in on the training plan then."

"Sounds good. See you later."

* * *

Danita read the incoming text with equal measures of disbelief and fury. A second reading only increased the latter. How was it possible that Lilith had returned to Shinra Headquarters? She was _supposed_ to be still in Junon, on her way to the Doyenne.

 _That idiot Gerald,_ she swore. _I never should have left this to_ him _._

No, what she _should_ have done was send a message last night to make everyone aware of Gerald's intent to defy his orders. That would have prompted sending additional operatives to his apartment to do the job he refused to see through. Not to mention provided him with the necessary incentive to keep his mind on their mission.

Despite his political clout in the city, he was an unreliable asset to them. Spineless. Several times, Danita had tried to warn their leaders about the Mayor's penchant for mixing business with pleasure- to the detriment of the former. She should have heeded her own warning and saved herself the reprimand she would surely receive for this _second_ failure.

 _I can guarantee there will_ not _be a third._

Once she'd sent Genesis an enthusiastic reply message, Danita pulled out her work phone to contact her errant associate. Before she sent any word to the Doyenne, she wanted to know exactly what happened and how badly their operations might have been compromised. Even better if she already had a plan how to neutralize the situation.

«YOU BETTER BE AWAKE»

No reply. It was damn near noon- where in the hell _was_ he?

Too aggravated to sit still, Danita paced the main room of Genesis' apartment. She didn't have the luxury to wait for very long. Not only did she need to report to the Doyenne, but she had things to see to here in Midgar. First and foremost, the team operating out of the city needed a new base. Since the blast, they'd been scattered in various rented rooms with no centralized site for meetings. Her subordinates informed her this morning that they'd found a few potential options, but they were waiting for her to proceed.

Given the location, Danita had dressed accordingly. The trendy, flirtatious clothes she wore to entice Genesis would never do when meeting with property managers. They expected a cool, professional businesswoman. Easy enough to play that part. Slicking her hair back into a queue at the base of her neck, Danita reached for a short-sleeved blazer and shrugged into it. She was just about to toss the cell phone into her purse when the screen lit up.

 _Finally._ She punched in her code to read his reply. _Let's see what you have to say for yourself._

«AWAKE- THANKS TO YOU. WHY THE DAMNED TEXT MESSAGE?»

Why? Was he serious? She could hardly type fast enough to keep up with her thoughts.

«WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU- WHY IS THAT SHINRA BITCH HERE IN MIDGAR!? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE HER IN.»

Several minutes ticked by.

«TAKE WHO WHERE?»

Three words. Three seemingly ordinary words. But reading them filled Danita with horror and dread. Rather than send a reply by text, she dialed his number directly. After the fourth ring, Gerald picked up.

"What do you mean 'take who where?'," she demanded angrily. "The female SOLDIER that came to Junon on that bullshit PR campaign."

"Yeah, a hot little number, that one. She has skills I doubt come standard in SOLDIER." He paused to chuckle. "Or maybe they do. Why else would Shinra bother with women? Certainly not going to get anything useful out of that one when it comes to brains, if you get my drift."

And that was Gerald all over. The old school chauvinist, no matter how often his assumptions had been proven wrong. Danita's frustration boiled over.

"She's a damned spy, you moron! She was _playing_ you for the past two days to learn about our organization. Don't you remember me telling you that the other night?"

Silence. Heavy, awful silence.

" _Gerald?_ "

"I don't. No memory of it at all," he answered hollowly. "I swear I don't recall anything."

 _Well, at least_ now _he's paying attention._ Maybe now they'd have a serious conversation. Serious it most certainly was, too. If he didn't remember her phone call, that meant the bitch must have used some kind of Materia- likely Mystify- to make him forget. Danita hadn't thought to warn Gerald that she might have anything that advanced with her; as far as she knew, only the 1st Classes used advanced Materia. Meaning Lilith wasn't your average 2nd Class.

It also meant something far worse.

"And the text messages I sent to you last night. Do you remember those?"

Another long pause.

"No."

"You replied," Danita insisted while trying to remain calm. "So you must have at least _seen_ them, even if you don't remember now. Pull them up."

After waiting a full minute and a half, he informed her in a subdued voice, "There aren't any messages. Other than the ones you just sent today."

Well and truly alarmed now, Danita clutched the edge of the counter to keep herself upright. She squeezed her eyes shut as the familiar sensation of white-hot needles stabbed at her temples.

 _Oh no you don't. I don't have time for this today._ Willing the pain to recede, she exhaled slowly. If she kept her mind focused on the task at hand, it would prevent the pain from becoming unmanageable. A tactic Danita had learned over time. It served her well now, allowing her to think of her next question. _Let's hope this time I get a more optimistic answer._

"General protocol- they weren't essential messages. Would you have deleted them immediately to scrub your phone?"

"I don't know. Maybe. When did you send them?"

"Eight-thirty. Nine at the latest."

On the other end of the line, she heard virulent cursing.

"That whoring cunt. That…that…I swear if I ever get my hands on her again I'll strangle the bitch. And _then_ I'll really go to work on her."

 _So much for optimism._

"Don't tell me…"

"She would have already been at the apartment. My car picked her up at the club just before seven-thirty."

The Doyenne was not going to be pleased at all about this. A breach of this magnitude had never happened before. No one from Shinra had ever gotten so close their key members- at least not and walked away unscathed. This 2nd Class had gotten not just one opportunity, but _two_. And with Gerald's memory fogged as it was, there was no telling how much he might have told her. Danita put off leaving for her appointment a little longer in the hopes she might coax any information she could get out of him.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Getting laid and then falling asleep."

Succinct and unhelpful. She prodded him again.

"Nothing else? Not even the vaguest impression about what you might have discussed with her- or _shown_ her?"

"I'm pretty sure I know what I _showed_ her," he snickered. Obviously, she'd lost his focus again and would get nothing of use out of this conversation. "And if you were on the receiving end of a ride like that-"

"I still would manage to do my job! Gaia be damned, Gerald! Do you have _any_ concept of how grave this situation is!?"

"Now you listen, Danita. I-"

"No _you_ listen. At best, Shinra's spy saw the messages and convinced you to delete them. At worst, she actually broke into your phone and sent the replies on your behalf. Either way, she knows we exist and that she's a target. You can't even remember what you might have told her. Are the records secure, at least?"

"What do you take me for? Of course they're locked up. In my hidden wall safe. Finest craftsmanship in all of Junon went into making that beauty."

"Well, that's something, but it hardly matters. She's here in Midgar, relaying anything you might have said to Sephiroth and Angeal."

"I can fix it."

"Oh no. _I'll_ fix it. And you can be sure I'll give the Doyenne a full report detailing how you _literally_ fucked up. Don't be surprised if _you_ get a summons to explain yourself in person."

Danita ended the call without letting Gerald get another word in, in no mood to hear any more of his excuses. She'd practically gift-wrapped that bitch for him, even though he didn't deserve it. Some thanks she got.

 _The_ only _good I can see coming out of this is that Gerald's mistake will knock him out as my main competition to advance._

To do that, though, she had to succeed where he hadn't. Danita did not doubt she would, but recognized that she was starting from a disadvantage. And Genesis hadn't done her any favors by reminding the woman of her presence in Midgar- or that the two of them were involved.

Unlike Gerald, she knew Shinra's spy was far from stupid. She'd put together the text message with Danita's attachment to the 1st Class almost immediately. Especially if she remembered seeing her in Junon. She'd see the arrangement for what it was, and wouldn't buy the clueless fangirl act. After all, she'd just used a similar routine on Gerald.

No, if Danita hoped to outsmart this one, she'd have to be far more cunning than that. And in the meantime, she would step up her efforts to gain Genesis' unwavering allegiance. Danita couldn't afford that he might be swayed back to Shinra's side if his two colleagues voiced suspicions about her motives. Danita had to be _sure_ those would be met with complete denial- no matter what evidence they might have to prove their point.

 _Well, if I'm going accomplish all that, I'd better get on with the day._

* * *

Walking away from Genesis felt good. I certainly needed a win for my day, although I would have rather avoided _that_ particular confrontation. The morning had been difficult enough already where the 1st Classes were concerned. Granted, the debrief with Angeal and Sephiroth hadn't gone as badly as it could have. Especially when I got to the part about Kunsel. But the 1st Classes hadn't reprimanded me for that one blunder on my mission.

 _Likely because you were able to sell it as something useful. So let's hope whatever Kunsel discovered with Vestra backs that up._

As for Genesis…well, he'd tried to make me uncomfortable with all his bravado- inviting me to stay with him. I might have thought the offer serious if he hadn't mentioned Danita. But as cocky as I knew him to be, not even Genesis is going to entertain the challenge of _two_ women staying in his apartment. And that's if he thought either lady would have accepted the arrangement.

 _Not in this lifetime._

I didn't play into his game; two days fencing against Gerald had sharpened skills that had been rusty. I hadn't thought I'd ever need them again once I'd left the slums. That was a lesson learned: Never throw away a weapon. _Any_ weapon. Case in point, as I'd succeeded in turning Genesis' intimidation around onto himself. He had no idea what to make of it, so I'd won that round.

 _The next one won't be so easy._

As I kept walking to the locker room, the reality of that statement settled in. Not because he'd keep after his obnoxious invitations. This skirmish had pretty much put an end to that, or at least marginalized our standoff on the subject. No, I had a far more serious concern looming ahead.

Danita.

I hadn't thought much about the woman when Genesis had approached me about meeting her a few days ago. It had struck me odd that a fangirl- no matter _how_ obsessed- had chased after him all the way from Junon. Maybe a little desperate. And at the time, I agreed to see what she wanted out of sheer curiosity. But now…I thought of the text messages I'd saved to my phone. The ones I hadn't mentioned to Angeal and Sephiroth, reasoning that I really didn't know which 1st Class was compromised.

Now I had little doubt the conspiracy group had their hooks in Genesis. How deep, though? I'd been gone for two days, so I had no way of knowing what Danita had accomplished in that time. Didn't sound like a lot of time, but I knew from personal experience just how much could happen in even that short span. She had to be very skilled to have fooled Genesis in the first place. Or worse- Danita may be using Materia on him as I'd done with the Mayor.

 _And what do I do about that?_

Telling Sephiroth or Angeal that their friend and fellow 1st Class was likely compromised did not thrill me. In their place, I would be reluctant to accept the news. And quite possibly angry that anyone would insinuate that an elite SOLDIER like Genesis would be persuaded to ally with the enemy. Very possible that they might not believe me unless I had any proof. Perhaps not even _then_.

Confronting Genesis about Danita's true intentions would be even less likely to be successful. He wasn't going to credit anything I would tell him, having zero respect for me as a 2nd Class. Most importantly, I couldn't risk that in telling him about her connections in Junon that I'd ruin the one advantage that we had: Surprise. Right now, the group didn't know how much I'd learned from the Mayor. I couldn't trust that whatever I told Genesis wouldn't end up retold to Danita.

 _No, I'll just have to discover what she's up to on my own for now._

A worry for tomorrow; today I had enough on my plate. Even though finding a new apartment was on hold for the time being, I still had plenty to deal with on that score. Thanks to that damned explosion, all I had to my name had gone with me to Junon or were stored here at Headquarters in my locker. The essentials and very little else. I'd be starting all over. _Again._

That wasn't even the most urgent item on my to-do list. Before I could _think_ about my living situation, I had to put back the Materia I'd borrowed for the Junon mission. If I valued my career, I'd do it without getting caught. I only hoped that no one had noticed that they were missing. But if they had, I couldn't afford to be seen returning them- and that included the damned surveillance camera.

 _Turk bastards,_ I cursed, having no love for Shinra's security division. _Always sticking their eyes and ears in everyone's business._

I gambled that now would be my best opportunity. The debrief had gone on so long that it was nearly noon. Unlikely anyone would be in the Mako Infusion Room at this hour. Just had to pick up the Materia from my locker. Definitely hadn't wanted to risk taking it into the debrief.

The halls of Headquarters had rapidly thinned. A good sign. I passed a few people I recognized, but didn't offer them more than a nod or brief hello. Even better, the locker room was completely empty, allowing me a window of time to transfer the Materia from my travel bag to the pockets of my fatigues.

 _So far so good. Now to put them back where they belong._

I slipped into the Mako Infusion Room, hugging the camera's blind spots as I navigated my way to the correct set of shelves. From my back pocket, I withdrew the slim leather pouch containing my lock picks. Then it was a waiting game. The camera swept slowly from left to right and then back again, surveying the room. While standing in one of its blind spots, I timed my first attempt the second I knew that the case was out of frame. Lucky that I'd done this often enough under pressure that I had the lock open in seconds. With my free hand, I reached for the Restore Materia and placed it in the empty niche. The camera was completing its pass just as I closed the glass door and reset the lock.

 _One down, three more to go._

"So, _you're_ the one."

Heart in my throat, I whirled around to find Sephiroth standing behind me. Above his right shoulder, I saw the security camera sweep across to put me squarely in frame. Like that mattered now, nor could I have moved if I'd had the presence of mind to do so. The 1st Class' gaze pinned me where I stood.

 _I'm doomed._

I couldn't say how long he'd been standing there, watching, but the duration was irrelevant. I was caught red handed. By one of the very last people I would have wanted to discover me in this room. There'd be no talking my way out of this. Maybe that's why I couldn't bring myself to speak a word in my defense. And then Sephiroth took a step forward.

"I assume you have the other three." I nodded mutely, feeling my career slipping away from me as he extended his left hand forward. "Let's have them, then."

Without protesting, I retrieved them. Seal first. Manipulate. Lastly- and most damning- Contain. As I gave each sphere up, he examined it in minute detail. Likely ensuring that none of the Materia had been damaged before turning me over to the Director. A sensible precaution in his position, but the wait in the meantime was excruciating. I imagined every possible outcome I might face- none of them good.

 _Wonder if Kunsel will even get the chance to say 'I told you so'._

Still, even if I knew I'd be caught in the end, I wouldn't have done anything differently. Didn't regret any of it. And so when Sephiroth returned his piercing gaze to mine, I met it unflinchingly. Several minutes elapsed. Silent. The commander was obviously contemplating something. I tried not to take too much hope for a reprieve because he hadn't issued an immediate order to report to Lazard. And then he spoke at last.

"If you needed these to accomplish the mission you should have asked."

Not at all what I'd been prepared to hear. In fact, I thought I'd misheard him entirely.

"Sir?"

"If you had presented a case for needing these specific Materia, we would have discussed the matter and likely authorized you to take them."

Censure colored his tone. Not about the theft itself, oddly enough. More that I hadn't consulted with him and Angeal about my intentions. In my defense, I offered the only explanation I could.

"2nd Classes aren't permitted to use high-level Materia."

"You are correct," Sephiroth conceded, returning Seal to its niche in the nearby cabinet. Then leveled another exacting look at me and added, "Because most do not have the necessary aptitude to handle them properly."

While not delivered as a question, I heard the unspoken demand for an explanation all the same. Rather nervously, I fiddled with the lock pick still in my hands. The 1st Class maintained a patient and yet expectant demeanor as he waited for my response.

"I did well as a 3rd Class with the low-level elemental Materia," I began slowly. "And after the Leviathan battle in Junon, I thought it would be useful to study more about the higher-level types. As for why I took these to Junon…I honestly didn't know if I'd be able to use them. But I thought it worth the risk."

What he thought of my answer, I couldn't say. In the following silence, the strategy sounded foolhardy. I could have been wrong. Could have damaged the Materia or myself. Not a plan that would meet with the commander's approval.

"Their potency matured by a few degrees since I last inspected them," Sephiroth remarked at last. "All four."

Now that was something I hadn't anticipated. Unmastered copies of Materia absorbed experience as they were used, unlocking different levels of spells they could cast. Training never quite explained that process, nor did I find any reference to it in the books I'd collected. But once an orb reached Master status, I'd always understood that was it. From what I was hearing now, my understanding was flawed.

 _So I guess even if I did manage to put them back without getting caught, it wasn't going to be a secret that they'd been used recently._

"I…"

Before I could get another word out, the 1st Class interjected, "Training room six. Four-thirty. I expect you to be there."

It took a full minute to realize that he did not intend to say anything more. Unnerving not to have any idea why he'd issue an order like that, but I couldn't very well decline it.

"Yes, sir," I accepted with a nod. He was about to turn away when I risked asking, "Sir, about taking the Materia to Junon…?"

Sephiroth glanced down to the two remaining spheres in his hand, and then back up to me.

"I think we've covered that subject, don't you?"

* * *

Zack stood outside Angeal's door, waiting patiently. He'd done very little else since he last stepped out of this office. Luxiere had deserted him early on, and he hadn't seen Kunsel since their private conversation in the common room. Zack hoped that his friend had taken his advice to seek out Lilith. He didn't know what 'complications' were keeping those two apart, but maybe all it took was getting them to talk to one another. At least he _hoped_ so.

Right now, he was facing yet another difficult situation. With everything that happened over the past few days, Zack forced himself to really think about this latest mission. He'd lain awake for several hours last night, mulling over the details that didn't quite add up. Which is what prompted him to confront Lilith about the Vestra issue. Granted, he hadn't expected the answer she'd given him. But it made sense, in light of the situation with Kunsel.

Everything else about Junon did not.

The meeting with Fenton had given a plausible explanation for the Mayor's odd behavior. If he _was_ involved- or at least complicit- with the Junon disappearances as the journalist claimed, then of course he would want to keep Shinra at arm's length to hide that fact. The meaningless appearances fit with that theory. A check in the box to show that he was complying with Lazard's request. Empty as the sham was, the positive press couldn't have hurt the politician's image with the people.

So why raise suspicion by cancelling the rest of the agenda? And why was everyone acting like it wasn't a big deal?

Just two of several questions Zack aimed to put to Angeal. The 1st Class may not give him any satisfactory answers, but he wouldn't pretend to be blind to the fact that something else was going on in these last few days. Nor was he going to leave it up to Lilith to speak with the 1st Class about what happened between her and the Mayor.

"Enter."

At Angeal's bidding, Zack turned the handle and walked through the door. Once inside, his eyes swept the room. Just the two of them, he noted with no small amount of relief. He'd been hoping to speak with Angeal alone. It would make asking the questions a little easier not to have Sephiroth present.

"Zack," the dark-haired man greeted him, raising his eyes from a sheaf of papers spread out on the desk. "Please, sit."

The use of his name and invitation to sit were obvious cues that Angeal intended to have a more informal discussion. Similar to other times Zack had sought out the 1st Class' advice. He'd see how long the relaxed atmosphere lasted once he started inquiring about the Junon mission. For now, he took the seat and waited as Angeal cleared his desk.

"Now. I believe you wanted to speak with me- I assume it's about Junon."

"Yes, it is." After a deliberate pause, Zack led with the subject that bothered him the most. "You and Sephiroth assigned Lilith as the mission leader because she is a woman. You used her as bait to keep the Mayor engaged when he would have told the rest of us to get lost."

"Gender played a significant factor in the decision. It was an asset in this particular case."

An asset. Words that he would have expected Sephiroth to say. To hear them coming from Angeal scraped at Zack's temper. His reply reflected that underlying anger, each word clipped and hard-edged.

"You'll have to excuse me if I don't care for your tactics. Expecting Lilith to submit to that lecherous bastard was unacceptable, if not inhumane." Too hyped up to let Angeal get a word in, Zack continued to vent his disgust. "Two days we had no choice but to watch him treat her like a hired escort or risk failing the mission. The whole thing mocked everything we stand for. I don't know how you could do it- the both of you- to knowingly pimp out one of your SOLDIERs."

Brutal words, but Zack felt justified in delivering them. Nor did he break the hard look he directed at the 1st Class sitting across from him. He'd never wanted to believe that the men he'd always trusted to look out for him and his friends would stoop to this level of betrayal. Certainly not Angeal, who had always prided himself on honor and loyalty. And if the guilty expression on the man's face were any indication, the accusation struck true.

They stared at one another for several minutes before Angeal cleared his throat to speak.

"It was _never_ my intention that Lilith endure behavior to such an extreme. Or that she should believe I would expect it of her."

"Not you," Zack repeated, stone-faced and not caring to be cautious or respectful as he asked point blank, "Did Sephiroth?"

The 1st Class' reluctant silence was answer enough. Honestly, he didn't want to know whether the words were actually said, or if the silver-haired commander had merely implied his expectations on that score. Either way, Lilith had heard the message loud and clear. His jaw tightened, but Zack held back this thoughts on _that_ subject. He wasn't going to forget this, though.

"You are rightfully upset, and I understand," Angeal offered at last. "I can only apologize for my part in all this, and that Sephiroth and I hadn't anticipated how far the Mayor would overstep himself in the absence of senior level SOLDIERs. I know it wasn't easy for you."

"Forget _me_ , Angeal. Yeah, I'm angry, but that's nothing compared to others. Kunsel for one. What do you think it was like for _him_ these past two days?" Angeal's involuntary grimace only encouraged Zack to press on. "But still worse- what about Lilith? An apology isn't going to cover the wrong done to _her_ in all this."

The 1st Class sighed heavily, raking his fingers through his hair.

"I had my suspicions about what happened based on what she said at the debrief. And now hearing your side, I have a clearer picture of the events. None of that ever should have happened, but she appeared to be handling the matter fine without our interference. If she wishes to raise a formal complaint, I'll be certain to give it the attention it deserves, though."

"Like she did about Genesis?"

Taken aback at the verbal punch, Angeal sat in stunned silence until he responded with a hedging, "An internal issue is a little trickier…"

Frustrated with the lack of understanding, Zack decided to share something he hoped Lilith wouldn't kill him for later.

"She cried, Angeal."

 _That_ finally got the 1st Class' attention.

"She…what?"

" _Cried_. Didn't want any of us to see her do it, but when I went to check on her last night I found her sobbing in her hotel room. So whatever she might _appear_ to be now, Lilith is _not_ 'fine'."

Angeal closed his eyes, complexion gone ashen.

"Now, I know I'm not one to ask questions or pry into things that aren't my place to know. But having seen that and the state of things in Junon, I'm asking you now- what were you and Sephiroth _really_ after in sending us there? What was so important that it was worth using my friend that way?"


	31. Chapter 31: Calculation & Strategy

Kunsel paced the length of the locker room for the umpteenth time. After Zack had gone off to meet with Angeal, there hadn't been much for him to do. He couldn't leave; orders from above kept every SOLDIER not on assignment at Headquarters. Likely on account of that explosion in Sector 7. If Shinra needed to mobilize their forces, they'd want them nearby to receive orders.

Of course, that line of thought only brought him back to the reason he was pacing. Burning off restless energy as he warred with himself about whether or not he was going to talk to Lilith as Zack suggested he should. His friend had obviously learned something this morning. Something big enough to warrant bringing it to Kunsel's attention. Had it been Luxiere, well…he might not have taken him seriously. Their friend spread gossip- of any kind- almost as often as he drew breath.

But on the other hand, Zack was an optimist. Far more of one than Kunsel had ever been. So he could just as easily have misread something Lilith told him. Not on purpose, but because he was hoping to find a way to work things out. Re-opening the subject of their relationship wasn't a decision Kunsel took lightly. It had been painful enough the first time; he wasn't all that eager to risk a second on the good chance Zack had been wrong.

 _And if he's right?_

 _Far more likely that he's not._

 _Suppose he is, though, and you_ don't _ask her. Are you willing to risk the consequences of_ that _decision?_

And _that_ was the question he'd been unable to answer for the past hour. _Still_ couldn't answer.

 _Best make up your mind soon._

The door to the hallway opened, interrupting the internal debate and startling him more than he liked to admit. When Kunsel turned to see who'd come in, he half-expected it to be Lilith; he wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed to see a new 3rd Class standing in the thresh hold instead. The sandy-haired SOLDIER glanced around, obviously searching for someone. His gaze landed on him and the man stepped further into the room.

"Didn't mean to barge in on ya."

"No big deal. I was just leaving, anyway." Not really true, but that didn't matter. The 3rd Class didn't budge from the door when he took a step in that direction, so he commented neutrally, "Haven't seen you around."

"Hawkins. Inducted just last week. Hey, I know you're headed out, but you wouldn't happen to know where I could find Kunsel, would you? I'm kinda' lookin' for him."

 _And why might that be?_ Too strung out from the past few days to care, he replied with a shrug, "You found him."

"You ain't an easy man to find." When Kunsel didn't share his good-natured grin, he shrugged. "Well, s'pose I'll just give you this."

Hawkins clutched a folded piece of paper in his hand. Kunsel took it, checking his cell phone for the time as he did so. Nearing quarter to three. Meaning the sender wasn't likely to be Angeal, who'd still be meeting with Zack. Wouldn't be from another 2nd Class, either. Any of them would have just sent a text. So if it wasn't one of them, and it wasn't Angeal, that only left two options for who might task a 3rd Class with delivering a handwritten message. Kunsel didn't like either of them.

 _Just read the damned thing and get it over with._

He flipped open the note, only partially aware that the 3rd Class didn't hang around. Just as well. Kunsel read the sparse words inside, sighed, and refolded the paper. A summons like he'd expected. From Sephiroth. The 1st Class wanted to speak to him in one of the spare offices. Odd that it wasn't the briefing room.

 _I can bet what_ that's _about._

Lilith must not have been able to conceal that he'd learned of her mission. That or she'd preemptively told the 1st Classes in the hopes that she could position it the way she wanted. It's what he would have done, given that they would have found out eventually. And this way, she didn't have to come up with a reason why she needed a second debrief to update them about Vestra.

 _Guess I'll be doing that myself. The other matter will just have to wait until later._

On the way, Kunsel considered what he would and _wouldn't_ say as part of his report. If he could, he wanted to avoid any mention about Lilith's initial meeting with the Mayor at City Hall- or what happened after. Lilith would've related only the information that Sephiroth needed to know in her account. So unless asked a question he couldn't evade, Kunsel would stick to the events concerning Vestra.

The door was open when he arrived. With a confidence he didn't quite feel, he walked straight in. Sephiroth stood behind the desk, clearly waiting. He motioned to the door.

"Close that."

Kunsel obeyed, though he wasn't enthusiastic about being shut up in such a confined space with Shinra's most elite commander. Alone. If it were Angeal- or even Genesis- he wouldn't have the same reservations. Even though the latter tried to beat him senseless, facing either of those two alone didn't give him the same apprehension as facing this man one on one. It wasn't just his reputation on the battlefield. More than that. Something about Sephiroth's calculating and subtly feline mannerisms weren't normal.

Weren't _human_.

"You wished to see me, sir," Kunsel spoke up in an effort to banish those thoughts.

The 1st Class wasn't helping him, regarding him as one might study a game piece on a playing board. Wouldn't surprise him in the least if that's how Sephiroth viewed everyone. And if that were the case, Kunsel knew his best chance at surviving whatever came out of this was to convince the man that he'd be a valuable one.

"A necessity," Sephiroth replied at last. "I understand you have information I want. Information that was not relayed during this morning's debrief."

* * *

For a very long time, Angeal said nothing. Content to wait as long as necessary, Zack leaned slightly forward in his chair, forearms resting on his thighs. He'd wait all day if that's what it took to get an answer. But he wasn't leaving without one. Eventually, the 1st Class stirred, allowing his gaze met Zack's.

"It's just as well that I was intending to discuss the matter with you." After a momentary pause, he continued, "The PR mission was a cover to allow Lilith the opportunity to investigate the Mayor. Sephiroth and I believed that he was involved in planning the Leviathan attacks on Junon; she was to determine if that suspicion had merit."

"Why Lilith? Why did it _have_ to be her?"

His mentor shifted in his seat, discomfort evident.

"After considering the Mayor's reaction to her during the first Junon mission, we felt that Lilith would be most likely to disarm any suspicion on his end."

"Disarm his suspicions," Zack fired back, incredulous. "Well then you knew damn well what she'd have to do, whatever you say about _intentions_."

This time, Angeal didn't deny it.

"Point taken."

Nothing more needed to be said, and so Zack pushed the discussion forward, asking, "So why send the rest of us? Having three SOLDIERs tagging along didn't make her task any easier."

"Selling the mission as a PR opportunity made more sense if we sent the four of you. It would have looked too odd to just send one of you. That and it meant the three of you could provide support if she required it."

"Hard to do that if we don't know _why_ we're there."

"Security purposes," Angeal admitted with a sigh. "This operation needed to be conducted with the utmost secrecy."

The 1st Class' answers left Zack with a feeling of general unease. He talked of _selling_ the mission, and secrecy. Who did they have to sell it _to_? And who were they hiding it _from_? He understood why they wouldn't want a mission like this spread around the junior ranks, but he got the distinct impression that it went well beyond that. A suspicion rose in the back of his mind and rather than stifle it, Zack chose to give voice to the question.

"Was the Director aware that Lilith would be investigating the Mayor?"

Angeal favored him with a veiled expression, which didn't bode well for hearing a reassuring 'yes'.

"He is not."

 _This is big. Bigger than I thought. Why would they hide such a critical investigation from Lazard?_

Zack wished that Kunsel were here with him. His friend was better at picking up on the nuances in times like this. He'd know the right questions to ask that would ferret out answers. Even more, the other 2nd Class would take those answers in stride better than he could. Kunsel could accept the grey areas when it came to loyalty and honor; Zack could not. Or at least he hadn't been willing to do so before Junon. Intuition told him that he might have to make compromises in the days to come.

Maybe that's what prompted him to ask, "And now that we're back?"

The 1st Class appeared to be weighing a decision whether or not to answer. Ordinarily, Zack wouldn't expect one. He was still just a 2nd Class, after all. Angeal was under no obligation to tell him anything at all when it came to mission strategy, or their dealings with the Director. Refusing might even be seen as a way to protect Zack, sparing him from any culpability for their actions. In the end, Angeal must have decided the information was important for him to know, though he was careful in how he worded his answer.

"Sephiroth and I still need to analyze all of the evidence Lilith brought back before we make any decisions on that score. In the meantime, I expect you will _not_ share what you've been told- with anyone."

Yeah, that was a given. This wasn't the sort of thing he could bring up with Luxiere or it'd end up all over Headquarters by noon tomorrow. Zack did want to talk to Lilith about it, though. But before he assumed that Angeal's order didn't include her, he'd better ask. Just to be safe.

"When you say 'anyone'…?"

"I mean anyone. Not even Lilith- or Kunsel."

The addition of Kunsel's name caught his attention immediately. Only took a fraction of a second to realize why the 1st Class would have mentioned both of them. Zack cursed under his breath in an uncharacteristic show of annoyance. A lot of things were starting to make a _lot_ more sense.

"He knows, doesn't he?"

"According to Lilith, Kunsel became aware of the mission early on."

He didn't like any of this. Two if his best friends had been lying to him. On Lilith's part, she was following the orders from their commander. And Kunsel- he would have kept his mouth shut for his own reasons. That didn't mean Zack was so quick to forgive them for the deception. Now he had to wonder just how much of what either of them said about their personal issues was real…and how much was a prop to conceal Lilith's mission. No, he was not happy about any of this.

 _And I can't even_ talk _to either of them about it._

"I can't say I'm surprised," Zack admitted at last. "But it does make things difficult not to be able to clear the air with the two of them."

"A temporary precaution, we hope."

The discussion reached a natural pause. Zack thought Angeal might end it there and dismiss him, but then the 1st Class broached a seemingly unrelated subject.

"You should expect to see some unorthodox changes- particularly in regards to training regimens. Starting this week, all 2nd Classes will be tested for aptitude in using advanced Materia. Those who show promise will receive instruction how to use them."

Unorthodox indeed. Most 1st Classes learned to use Silence as part of their standard attacks. From time to time, they were given permission to expand their arsenal to include more advanced Mako spheres. But aside from the elementals used by the 3rd Classes, the junior ranks never equipped Materia for battle. They had no need; Shinra always had more than enough ranked SOLDIERs.

So why would Angeal and Sephiroth train 2nd Classes in a skill they wouldn't need for some time? Again, it was against his nature to ask, but Zack couldn't help himself.

"Why? That's the business of the 1st Classes. Why start training us?"

After a long and oppressive silence, Angeal replied, "Because we have reason to believe that this enemy has culled most of our 1st Classes right from under Shinra's nose in an attempt to weaken SOLDIER's defenses. It's likely they will strike again, and we may need the 2nd Classes to step up to fill the gap if we hope to beat them."

A chill raced down his spine at the word 'culled'. He didn't know if it meant that they'd only been abducted like the citizens of Junon, or if Angeal meant that those SOLDIERs were dead. Either way, those men were now gone.

"Gaia's mercy."

"I need your help, Zack. I need you to help us keep the junior ranks in line and motivate them to take this new direction seriously. Support and reinforce the message that SOLDIER is a team and we all need to work together."

He regarded the 1st Class mutely, not committing himself one way or another. He wanted to communicate to Angeal that he wasn't going to accept an assignment on blind faith. Not anymore. His mentor acknowledged the message with an inclination of his head. Finally Zack gave his reply.

"All right, Angeal. I'll do this. But understand that I'm not doing it for you or Sephiroth. I'm doing it for my friends and SOLDIERs that I've trained with."

"I do understand, Zack. Really, I do."

* * *

The way Sephiroth's comment was worded left it open to interpretation. But the invitation to take it as anything other than a veiled reference to the espionage mission felt like a trap. A test to see whether he would try to play innocent about it; Kunsel knew that would be a mistake- and a potentially lethal one at that. Besides, he had nothing to gain in pretending to know nothing of it. He chose to be blunt in his reply.

"You mean what I might know of Lilith's mission to investigate the Mayor of Junon."

"She tells me you spoke with one of his operatives last night with the aim of learning about the organization they work for." No questions about City Hall, which was a relief. "And as she was occupied elsewhere at that time, she was not able to provide me with a report of what you were able to discover."

Kunsel did his best not to think of what 'occupied' might all entail. He had to believe that she'd been able to repeat the same tactic as she had the first evening, and cast Manip and Sleep early on. Had to believe that she hadn't insisted he stay at the club for reasons other than what she'd told him. That she wouldn't actually sleep with that lecherous bastard in exchange for the intel she wanted.

 _No, the intel that_ he _wants,_ Kunsel amended bitterly.

"Is there a problem?"

Something of that thought must have shown in his expression. That or he'd been thinking far longer than he'd meant to be.

"No, sir."

"Then I trust you won't have any trouble providing me with your account of yesterday evening."

"Of course not, sir."

Sephiroth gave him leave to begin, and so Kunsel laid out everything he knew. At least where Vestra was concerned. He started with her presence at the pub the first evening, even though he hadn't known she was working for the Mayor at that time. Thankfully, the 1st Class didn't pry into what happened that night. By far the most comprehensive part of his report came when he got to Vestra's appearance at the Mystique, sparing no detail.

He felt a twinge of remorse when relaying some of that story. Notably, the parts when she'd shown herself to be most vulnerable- the embarrassment after inviting him home with her; the private stories she'd told him about her family. He'd exploited that vulnerability and was offering it up to someone who would use it against her as a weapon. It was a shitty thing to do to someone who seemed like a decent person.

 _You had no choice._ Decent person or not, Vestra was the enemy. She helped a group of criminals and abducting murderers seize control of Junon. If exposing her secrets helped take them down, he had to be willing to do it. _No choice._

Throughout the telling, Sephiroth said nothing. He asked no questions, nor did his expression change. Not even the barest flicker that might betray some reaction to what he was saying. A more foolish man would think the 1st Class wasn't paying attention, but Kunsel knew better. No, he was sure Sephiroth was absorbing every word. Only after his report was finished did the commander offer an observation.

"You think she could be turned against them."

Words Kunsel had never used outright, but a message Sephiroth had heard in what _wasn't_ said. He didn't deny it.

"Possibly. I think however she got involved with these people, it wasn't voluntarily. They bought her obedience with something that matters to her, but they don't have her loyalty."

"If we find out what they hold over this woman, we have the means of securing both if we get it back."

Had it been Zack or Luxiere standing here, he wondered if those words would have been said aloud. Quite frankly, he was a little surprised to hear them himself. But something in the assessing look that sharpened the 1st Class' eyes told Kunsel that something larger was happening, and that by helping Lilith, he'd gotten well and truly mired in it. And since it didn't look like he was getting out of it any time soon, he might as well see where this led.

"Yes, sir. I believe that is entirely possible."

Another long silence.

"And how confident would you be if you were tasked with that particular assignment?"

 _Quicksand, that's where it led. Tread carefully or you'll drown in it._ An operation like that wasn't usually handled by SOLDIER. Something of this level usually involved Turks, who were more adept in the art of espionage and black ops strategy. Sephiroth ought to be handing this over to them. He and Angeal had already stretched the limit with Lilith's mission objectives. _So why entertain this plan? What do you gain by sending_ me _back to Junon?_

The most obvious answer would be to keep him away from Genesis for a while longer, but Kunsel didn't think that was Sephiroth's aim. He suspected this had more to do with not wanting to bring this investigation to the attention of Shinra's security and intelligence agency. That in and of itself ought to have convinced him to turn down the offer. No one meddled in the business of the Turks. Not and lived to get away with it, anyway.

Surprisingly, the threat of almost certain death didn't deter him. Kunsel considered what he could make of this mission, and how it might benefit him in the end, should he be able to pull it off.

"Vestra was beginning to trust me," he said. "If I went back, I could win it soon enough. I am sure I could discover the leverage we'd need to bring her to our side."

"Very confident, indeed. I may just take you up on that offer, Kunsel. In the meantime, I don't think it necessary to tell you that this discussion- and Junon on the whole- is best kept to yourself."

Kunsel held the commander's green gaze for several minutes.

"No, sir."

"Excellent. Which leaves me with one final matter of business before you are dismissed. I expect you to report to Hewley's office tomorrow morning at ten."

"Yes, sir. Is that all?"

"Until tomorrow. Don't be late."

 _Late for what,_ Kunsel wondered.

* * *

Sephiroth remained in the office after the 2nd Class left. He wasn't due to meet Lilith for at least fifteen minutes, so that afforded him some time to review the facts as they were. To think about how it all affected his overall strategy. His instincts about Kunsel had been correct. The man was astute enough to read subtle nuances in a given situation, and draw conclusions from them. He questioned, not taking anything or anyone at face value.

 _He also knows when_ not _to ask a question._ Sephiroth had seen the 2nd Class put together that other divisions within Shinra were unaware their investigation in Junon. And that the oversight was deliberate. Yet he'd refrained from asking about the motives driving that decision. _Exactly the sort of person who could be our eyes and ears in Junon._

In retrospect, he should have considered including Kunsel from the beginning. While he would have been useless where the Mayor was concerned, having a second resource to handle any other potential lead turned out to be an asset. Had he known about the missing 1st Classes before sending the four to Junon, he most certainly _would_ have insisted upon giving Lilith a partner. If only as insurance against such a fate befalling her when Sephiroth could least afford it.

 _It does me no good to send a spy if I can't ensure that spy will return._

Fortunately, that wasn't the situation he was facing. Although, Sephiroth was curious what the 2nd Classes had _left out_ of their reports. He could piece together most of the timeline from their arrival in Junon to their return, but there still existed a few gaps. Most glaringly, that neither one mentioned in any detail what followed Lilith's first meeting with the Mayor at City Hall.

He might have been convinced that nothing significant occurred that evening, but then Kunsel hadn't mentioned anything about the encounter. Not a single word that he'd been there, even though Lilith admitted that he _had_. But the 2nd Class had focused solely on events concerning Vestra. He decided not to pursue the matter until after he'd had a chance to analyze all of the Junon evidence more thoroughly.

Sephiroth noted the time, and figured he ought to be on his way to the training rooms. Before he took a step, his phone vibrated, prompting him to retrieve it from his jacket. A message from Angeal.

«NEED TO TALK TO YOU»

«CAN IT WAIT AN HOUR?», he sent back.

«DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD NEED SO LONG WITH KUNSEL»

«FINISHED WITH HIM, BUT HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LILITH»

The lack of an immediate reply did not surprise him. No doubt that statement caused the 1st Class no small amount of alarm. A few seconds passed before Angeal's reply came through.

«WHY?»

Yesterday, Sephiroth might have thought nothing of replying. But after Lilith's report this morning of a potential security leak within SOLDIER, he didn't trust that even his private communications were secure. No way to know who was watching or listening. Which was why he'd chosen to speak with the 2nd Class in this office; it wasn't outfitted with a camera like the briefing room. One less set of eyes to worry about. When it came to messages, he intended to keep them as generic as possible going forward.

 _That, and it's no use stirring Angeal up on the subject of the Materia when there's no time to get into the details._

«BEGINNING THE ASSESSMENTS WE DISCUSSED- WILL BRIEF YOU LATER»

«I SEE. LATER IT IS, THEN»

Satisfied with Angeal's response, he slipped the phone back in his jacket and headed for training room six. Time to see what Lilith could do with Materia. He hadn't returned the three she'd given him in the Mako Infusion Room, intending to use one of his custom simulation programs to test her aptitude in using them. Sephiroth was particularly curious about her ability to think strategically about casting the high-level spells without advanced notice to prepare.

Normally, he wouldn't start out with an actual battle simulation. When 1st Classes began training, they spent several sessions just practicing with the Materia. Focused spells on a stationary target. Mastered copies didn't become part of their routine until well into the first month. But as Lilith had already used these successfully, Sephiroth saw no use wasting her time- not to mention his- by pursuing a traditional training regimen.

He rounded the corner to find her already there, leaning against the wall and staring at her phone with a slight frown. She appeared to be reading something, but turned the device off the second she noticed him.

"On time," he remarked. "That's a good start."

Lilith hesitated a moment before deciding to ask, "Sir, if I may- what exactly am I to be doing?"

Sephiroth punched his access code to release the lock.

"Providing me with a demonstration."

The door slid open to reveal an empty room, save for the program console and a small, recessed cabinet next to it. Saying nothing more, he gestured for her to precede him inside. When the door closed behind them, Sephiroth directed his attention to the program console. Lilith, meanwhile, stood silently to the side. In his periphery vision, she appeared to be emptying the contents of her pockets into the cabinet. Only after she'd finished did she speak again.

"I guess that's why you still have the Materia with you."

His fingertips paused over the instrument panel, having been caught slightly off-guard by that comment. Despite the infusion process exposing SOLDIERs to raw Mako energy, few of them ever developed enough sensitivity that they could recognize the feel of it when that energy was hibernating within a Materia sphere. It would seem that Lilith did; her tone was far too certain to be a guess. Sephiroth spared her a sideways glance, though he did not respond.

 _Before I start digging into how she knew, I intend to take a measure of what she can do with these._

Finishing the command string to launch the simulation, he offered a brief explanation of her task.

"You will have twenty minutes to defeat your opponent. Use any means necessary to do it, but the aim is to win while taking the least amount of damage to yourself or any ally under your protection." Sephiroth withdrew the Materia and held them out to her. "I am authorizing you to make use of these as required."

Lilith accepted the three orbs, a somewhat daunted expression on her face.

"Understood, sir."

"I will remain to observe. Your opponent will not pay any attention to me; I advise you to take the same approach. Act as though I am not here."

* * *

 _Oh sure,_ I retorted sarcastically. _Pretend you're not here. I might as well pretend the sun doesn't rise every day while I'm at it._

When Sephiroth had told me to meet him in this training room, I figured it would have something to do with a simulation. What I _hadn't_ expected was for that simulation to include the Materia I'd stolen. And I definitely hadn't anticipated that he would stay to _watch_. The 1st Classes had better things to do than critique the performance of a 2nd Class like me. Sephiroth in particular.

 _Like it or not, that's what he's here to do, so try not to screw it up._

That last thought worried me most. It was one thing to improvise my way through in Junon. Quite another to use Materia in a battle scenario. I didn't even know what program Sephiroth had selected. Until the simulation began, I wouldn't know my enemy or who my allies were. No way to plan any kind of strategy- even before I factored in the Materia. As far as tests went, the 1st Class couldn't have devised a more difficult one.

Sephiroth returned to the control panel, index finger hovering over the button that would launch the program. I stowed the spheres of Mako energy where they could be easily accessed when needed, planted my feet and nodded that I was ready. No sooner had he depressed the button, the empty shell of the training room hummed to life. I had only a few precious seconds to orient myself, and swept my eyes from corner to corner.

That first glance told me that this was not one of the programs from the general library. Or at least none that _I_ could access as a 2nd Class. This was far more complex than anything I'd seen or thought possible for a simulation. As I shaded my eyes against the brightness of a false sun overhead, I griped miserably, _it includes terrain and frickin'_ weather _._

Both would add a layer of difficulty, emulating battles more like something I would face on an assignment. In truth, a program like this was far more useful than the basic ones I'd practiced with up to this point. That thought passed through as quickly as it struck me; I was occupied with noting of the places where I could exploit a blind corner or protected space. Or where they could be used against me by my enemy.

 _More like enemies._

That had been the biggest shock of all. I'd been expecting any of the standard monsters from the database catalogue. Hopefully nothing as challenging as a Master Tonberry, but even that I was prepared to face if I had to. What stood before me was so much worse.

 _SOLDIERs._

I was staring into the eyes of my own colleagues- 2nd and 3rd Classes that I'd trained with for years. At first, I didn't want to believe it. These were supposed to be my allies. But no, their weapons and expressions communicated their intent clear enough. Now I was expected to fight them. Not just fight- if I wanted to succeed, I had to critically injure or outright kill them.

All to protect…I cast my gaze around in search of who my allies were. Again, expecting that I'd see Zack, Kunsel and Luxiere. Or at least one of them. No such luck. My stomach knotted into a tight ball when I located the other member of my team.

 _Oh not that. Anything but_ that.

A pair of brown eyes stared up at me owlishly, two darks spots of color in a pale face. A _child's_ face. _A civilian. The least Sephiroth could have done was made it old enough to obey commands sensibly._

 _Suck it up. This is the task you've been given. So get on with doing it already._

As if I had much of a choice. My opponents were gearing up for an attack. Essex circled left while Kohlen, Linel and Wendt fanned out on my right. Dividing my attention right from the start. I angled my body to keep the greater threat in front of me and gestured to the child.

"Get behind me," I whispered just loudly enough that the girl could hear. "Keep me between you and the others, okay?"

"O-okay."

Meanwhile, I took up a fighting stance, sword in hand. Waiting for one of them to make a move. I had fought alongside each of them before- at least once. Even sparred against a few. It gave me some advantage in anticipating how this might play out. If I were to place my bets, it'd be Kohlen who led the initial charge. He always rushed into a fight.

As for the others…Wendt would wait until the others had done the work of wearing me down before he would make a move. Essex I would have to keep close tabs on, though. I knew him to be the thinker of this particular group. Linel posed the least danger to me, never being one to act without orders. She would follow whatever anyone else did, and even if she _did_ attack, she would stick to the classic moves we all learned in our basic training.

Sure enough, Kohlen broke formation first. We met and clashed, but I drove him off in time to keep the others from coming too close. He lined up for another foray, and this time, I could see Essex would dart in to attack the girl while my attention was focused on Kohlen. This wasn't a defendable position; I had to move us someplace where I wasn't facing multiple fronts simultaneously.

Unfortunately, Linel stood between me and my best option. But as I predicted, she was shifting uncertainly from one foot to the other, waiting for someone to direct her what to do. I saw my chance to catch the 3rd Class off guard, and so I grabbed the girl with my free hand and half-dragged her with me as I rushed inside Linel's guard to knock her into Wendt. The two tangled with one another long enough to give me the time I needed to secure a new position.

The game had changed. I had wedged us into a niche backed on three sides by high walls. It was still four-on-one, but now they could only attack one at a time. I had more time to consider my next move- particularly, how I could use the Materia. This battle would be lost if I didn't. I couldn't hope to defeat four SOLDIERs in a purely physical fight.

 _So what can I do to even the odds?_


	32. Chapter 32: Leaders, Tools and Allies

_You're not using Contain._

No, no I wasn't. At least not in the way I'd used it to incapacitate the Mayor. Too many targets. I couldn't cast any of its spells on all four of them, nor could I afford to attempt any one of those spells more than once. And that's if I could control the elemental aspect of it to avoid harming the girl in the process. Or myself.

 _Nope, not an option._

Essex moved in for a strike, raising his arm with the intent of using Sword of Doom. I reacted on instinct, reaching for the Seal Materia to cast Silence before the 2nd Class could complete his attack. Shock and surprise registered on his face first, but what really threw me was the look of betrayal he leveled at me. As if _I'd_ been in the wrong for attacking him when _he_ was the one trying to destroy a child.

The other three SOLDIERs held off for a moment, debating how to tackle the situation now that they knew I was carrying Materia. Essex nodded to Kohlen, who disappeared off to the right. Likely to scale the walls at my back. I wouldn't have much time before he succeeded, so I needed to take down Wendt and Linel as quickly as possible. Meaning I had to go on the offensive.

The sphere in my hand pulsed and tugged at my consciousness. A reminder that I wasn't without options. Even at this distance, the spell would reach them. I gathered the energy and stretched out my left hand to release it at Wendt, who posed the greater threat now that I'd hobbled Essex. The 2nd Class wasn't fast enough to counter with an attack of his own, and chose to thrust Linel in front of him in hopes she'd take the hit instead. Which she did.

 _Now_ there's _betrayal if I ever saw it._ I'd never quite trusted Wendt during our years in training, recognizing that something about him was a little…off. He would have been right at home in one of the gangs that ruled the slums; they only looked out for themselves, too. _I'll keep that in mind the next time we're in a real battle together. I'm not about to be tricked into sharing Linel's fate._

I was about to try to subdue Wendt again when a flash of movement at waist height caught my eye. The girl. Instead of remaining within the safety of the niche, she'd put herself right between me and the others. A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed that Kohlen was still nowhere in sight. No reason why she should have moved. I cursed the child for not obeying my orders. Did she _want_ to end up dead?

That's when I saw the ruby-colored orb she was clutching in her hands. A Summons Materia. Likely what I was meant to protect most of all. Why Sephiroth had felt it necessary to throw in the child was a mystery, though. Seemed an unnecessary- and complex- element to include as part of the training program. No time to ponder the reasons why now. I had to finish what I'd been tasked to do.

I rushed to the girl's side in hopes of securing the Materia before Essex made a move to capture it for himself. But she twisted away from me, flashing a hostile glare before her expression changed to a malevolent grin. The Materia glowed brightly.

Understanding crashed through me. Understanding and horror. I'd made a serious error in assuming that the SOLDIERs were my opponents, and now I'd incapacitated two of my allies. Kohlen was still on the far side of the wall, leaving just that idiot Wendt. Might as well say I'd get no help at all from him. Any moment now, the girl would unleash whatever beast lived inside that orb of crystalized Mako. No matter what it was, were all doomed if I let that happen. I had to act quickly.

 _Use it. Use Contain and destroy the enemy._

 _But it's only a child,_ I hedged, even though I knew that in the end she was only an elaborate illusion of light and energy. Didn't feel any less wrong. _So very young. Too young to really understand what she's doing._

 _You weren't much older when you learned how to be dangerous. Look at her. What do you_ really _see?_

Reluctantly, I followed my own advice. Gave up a few precious seconds to see past the slight build and childish features to the creature living inside. It stared back at me with murder in its eyes. Nothing in that face beyond the desire to see me and my allies dead. There was only one answer to the question.

 _A killer,_ I admitted. _A soulless killer._

 _Then you know what you have to do._

Without taking my eyes off the girl, I located Contain and plumbed the very depths of what energy I had left to cast its most devastating spell. As it ignited, the fire elemental Flare energy engulfed her from the soles of her feet to the top of her blonde head. I refused to look away. Not even when she was no more than a pile of charred ashes. Atop them, the Summons Materia sat, now dormant.

 _No regrets,_ I told myself. _I have no regrets. Because you would have had none if I had perished in your stead._

The simulation faded around me. The Materia, ashes, Essex and the others…all of it vanished, leaving me to face only Sephiroth. But before either of us said anything, a wave of dizziness swept through me. I wanted to drop to my knees, too exhausted to stand any longer. The battle had drained more out of me than others lasting twice as long. My gaze fell to the glowing sphere in my hand. No doubt that had a lot to do with how tired I was feeling.

Sephiroth, meanwhile, had crossed the room. He extricated the Materia deftly from my grip; I hadn't the strength in my fingers to prevent him. In fact, I was finding it difficult to remain at attention. The 1st Class showed little surprise at that, nor did he seem at all offended when I stared somewhat dully at him. At last, he offered an observation.

"You murdered a child."

"I eliminated an enemy," I corrected him wearily. "I don't have the luxury of picking what age that enemy will be."

He regarded me for a long time, or at least it _felt_ like a long time, before conceding, "No. No you don't."

"She would have killed my entire team if I hadn't."

"She would have."

"I almost helped her to do it," I admitted, unable to hide a dose of self-criticism. "She got me to cast Silence on _two_ of them."

"You didn't know they were on your team."

I ought to have been grateful that Sephiroth granted me that much. It still didn't ease my irritation that I'd incorrectly assessed the situation at the outset. I didn't like making mistakes. Definitely didn't want to make them in front of an elite commander like _him_. Surely _he_ wouldn't have erred when faced with the same scenario. If I ever hoped to prove that I could advance to 1st Class, I had to be able to think like one.

"I _should_ have."

No response. My spirits sank, sure that Sephiroth was even more disappointed with my performance than I was. Here I'd had an opportunity to redeem myself after the club disaster in Junon, and I'd just wasted it. If I weren't so damned tired, I might have felt more than a cursory sense of failure. Couldn't muster the energy to do or say much of anything, though, and stood there waiting for the lecture I knew I had coming.

* * *

Sephiroth had intended to review the simulation with Lilith immediately, but thought better of it. Even if he'd been prepared to review her strategy, she was in no state to participate in the discussion. The woman could hardly stand; anything he might say would likely be forgotten almost the instant he said it. No sense even trying.

Of course, he'd expected Lilith to experience _some_ fatigue if she used Contain. What Sephiroth _hadn't_ predicted was that she'd attempt to cast Flare. Freeze or Break at the most. But not Flare. And after she'd already cast Silence twice. Yes, Lilith had good reason to be exhausted after _that_. So it was just as well he needed more time to analyze the simulation in more detail before conducting a debrief.

 _Ought to dismiss her before she falls asleep on her feet._

"You should rest. We'll review the details of the battle tomorrow when you've a clearer mind."

Lilith drew a breath as if to protest, so he leveled a stare at her meant to deter any thoughts of arguing with him. She almost ignored it. Sephiroth had to admire the woman's tenacity. Ultimately, she chose not to disagree with his order.

"Yes, sir."

With that, she took a step as if to leave, even though she'd yet to relinquish the remaining two Materia spheres he'd given her. Likely because she'd completely forgotten. He doubted they'd come to any harm in the time it took her to remember, but Sephiroth wanted them back where they belonged before he spoke to Angeal.

"Lilith?"

She pivoted on her heel, slightly confused that he'd called her back, and asked, "Sir?"

"The other two Materia. I'll have them back now."

"Oh." She jerked to a full stop and patted her uniform until she recalled where she'd put them. After a few seconds' fumbling in her pockets, Lilith retrieved the orbs and handed them over hastily. "Forgot about those. Wasn't trying to-"

"Get some rest," he repeated. "Consider it an order."

"Yes, sir. I will, sir."

When she'd gone, Sephiroth went back to the program console. One last thing to do before he reset the controls. He brought up the menu and located the command screen pertaining to the session log. The system required his password before it allowed him to transfer the data to the flash drive plugged into the base. Downloading it took a while, but Sephiroth wanted the ability to study the battle simulation in private. After verifying all the data copied over, he entered another command that caused a message to flash on the display.

{WARNING! YOU ARE ABOUT TO PERMANENTLY DELETE THIS FILE! CONTINUE?}

A swift keystroke and all traces of the session were wiped away. Lazard wasn't checking every logged simulation, but he couldn't risk that he might review this one. Couldn't afford the questions it would raise- for him and for Lilith. Not when he was finally making progress with this Leviathan matter.

Slipping the flash drive in his jacket, Sephiroth reset the controls and pulled out his phone. No messages, but he imagined that Angeal was impatient to discuss his meeting with Fair. The hour's reprieve he'd requested had come and gone. Before he saw to that, though, he stopped by the Mako Infusion Room to return the Materia. Only then did he check in with his friend.

The door of Angeal's office was open. Sephiroth strolled through it and was surprised to see the 1st Class standing at the window, back to the rest of the room. To his eye, the man looked troubled, which wouldn't bode well for what he'd have to say.

"Problems with your protégé?"

Angeal turned at the sound of Sephiroth's voice.

"I'm not sure 'problem' is the right word, but Fair's mood about the business with Junon is far from amicable. One might say downright hostile."

"Disappointed he was misled about the mission, I expect. Blame yourself for that, my friend, for having trained the 2nd Class to think as you would."

"I wish that were the case."

Sephiroth weighed that answer in silence for a while, and then he retraced his steps to close the office door. Didn't need anyone overhearing their conversation. While he'd seen to that, Angeal sat back down at his desk. The late afternoon sun slanted across it, reflecting glaringly on the metallic surface. His friend didn't seem to notice, leaving Sephiroth to draw the blinds closed if he didn't want to deal with that annoyance. As he did so, he regarded the 1st Class out of the corner of his eye.

"So, what _was_ his primary complaint, then?"

"Lilith." Angeal directed a piercing look at Sephiroth. "Specifically, how the Mayor treated her during the mission. Finding out that you and I expected that sort of behavior only added to his outrage. Fair denounced the tactics as beneath contempt, and I can't say I don't disagree."

 _Not this again_. Sephiroth knew his friend was having misgivings about Lilith's methods when accomplishing her mission. Real or imagined. Short of asking her for the specifics, it was all speculation. But speculation was enough of a burden on Angeal's conscience. Especially with Fair adding fuel to the fire. _Time to douse it, then._

"We've already been over this. And it's not as though _she_ brought up any complaints during her report. If Lilith thought our expectations unfair, I've no doubt we would have heard about it then."

* * *

After spending the last two days around the same three people, Luxiere was glad for the chance to be around other SOLDIERs again. He didn't even mind so much that he couldn't knock off early and go home. Wasn't like he had anything there he'd planned to do. Sleep, maybe. But they had their orders to hang around HQ for the full workday on account of the attack in Sector 7.

Since leaving the debrief this morning, he'd heard plenty more about that from friends who'd seen the aftermath first-hand. The more he heard, the less he really wanted to know about it. And the more he was almost willing to say he was glad to have been sent to Junon. Bullshit PR mission or not. He'd take that any day over finding the kinds of things Mattias said they'd found.

Yeah, all of that painted a pretty grim picture of how bad things were around here. And that was before he'd heard about Victor. Luxiere hadn't known the 3rd Class very well, but he'd been good friends with the guy who had been with him that night. Overpowered and dragged away to be butchered like some animal. He didn't want to say it, but the whole thing sounded a lot like what that editor had been talking about- people being abducted and never seen again.

 _Wonder if I_ should _say anything, though. I mean, if this shit is happening here in Midgar- and to SOLDIERs, no less- maybe I ought to warn them._ Luxiere had just opened his mouth to raise the concern when Jesse changed the subject.

"I heard Shinra's paying the families 1500 Gil and no more."

"They should be glad they're getting anything. It's not like this was their fault," Alec replied with a shrug.

Jesse didn't like that answer much, frowning at the other man from his perch on the armrest of one of the lounge chairs. Willem was likewise annoyed. Several others in the wider group were also staring daggers the 2nd Class- the sharpest of them coming from Jekke. Even Mattias' look was disapproving, and he'd always thought those two to be close friends.

None of it made any sense to Luxiere. Sure, the comment was borderline insensitive to the tragedy, but nothing that would justify the animosity in room. Something else must be going that he didn't know. _If Kunsel were here, he'd be able to get them talking to find out why everyone's so annoyed with him._

Who knew were his friend had gone, though. Luxiere hadn't seen him since they left Angeal's office. In his absence, wasn't much chance of puzzling this out on his own. He excelled at giving information; wasn't as good about _gathering_ it. Just didn't have the gift for prying it out of people. Now wasn't the time to work on that skill, either. Luxiere resigned himself to remaining in the dark. At least until he could get Kunsel's take on it all.

"Whose job is it to maintain peace for the civilians," Willem argued. "If someone managed to sabotage a building like that, it's Shinra's fault for not having enough patrols on duty."

"Barrington and Dawes were there."

"Exactly. A pair of 3rd Classes who'd barely made rank a month or so ago. Tell me, Alec, where was the more seasoned SOLDIER who _should_ have been in that Sector? I heard no one saw the 1st Class who was _supposed_ to be in charge of Sector 7 that night. Where was _he_?"

A chorus of disgruntled mutters echoed Willem's point, and suddenly the anger in the room shifted away from Alec. The group of 2nd and 3rd Classes gathered in the lounge redirected it to a whole different target. Luxiere wasn't surprised that everyone still had a beef with the 1st Classes. He'd heard plenty of talk about it before leaving for Junon. Most of it aimed at Genesis, for the whole business with Kunsel.

 _Doesn't sound like they're just pissed off about him anymore, though._

"Where are they _now_ ," he heard Greg ask. Even though he was just a 3rd Class, he was the kind of guy to speak his mind. "I notice that aside from a certain trio, we haven't hardly seen a single 1st Class around HQ lately."

A point that caught Luxiere off guard. He hadn't really noticed it since arriving this morning, but now that Greg mentioned it, he'd only seen 2nd and 3rd Classes all day. Well, aside from Angeal and Sephiroth, that is. So as the 3rd Class had said…where were they? Busy or not, they couldn't _all_ be out on assignment. Again, he wished Kunsel were here listening to all of this.

"He's right," Willem conceded. "And I can't help pointing out that Hewley didn't assign any 1st Classes to our teams, leaving _us_ to do the dirty work in Sector 7." More disgruntled murmurs. Louder this time. This time, Mattias was the first to speak up. He gestured to the group with an open-hand.

"Shit, man. We almost got wiped out investigating the explosion site, and those pricks couldn't be bothered at all. Jekke- you know what I'm talking about."

All eyes turned to the 2nd Class, who combed fingers through her spiky, blonde hair. Jekke was the only other female 2nd Class, having advanced a few months ago. Luxiere trained with her a few dozen times- even got put on assignment with her once. She was a decent fighter over all. Beyond that, he hadn't quite figured out what to make of her yet. Every time he tried to talk to her, he always seemed to trip over his words and ended up saying the wrong thing.

"Just because he didn't make a big scene doesn't mean he wasn't concerned. And I didn't say that Hewley didn't care," Jekke answered carefully. "He asked a number of questions about what happened."

"Funny, he didn't start asking any questions until you and him were _alone_." Alec's emphasis left no mistake as to what _else_ he thought went on. Neither did the meaningful way his gaze slid over her from head to toe as he added, "But then, I guess I don't have anything to offer in exchange for his _concern_."

Jekke got to her feet and advanced on the other 2nd Class, the Mako shine in her eyes glowing with anger. Before she could haul Alec up by his shirtfront, though, Jesse had intercepted her. Even so, she tried to brush him off with a shove.

"Leave off, Jesse," she snarled. "Let that son of a bitch get what he's got coming."

"Oh yeah, like _you're_ going to do anything," Alec jeered. "Go on and let her try. I'll put that bitch in her place, since none of you will."

Luxiere regarded the 2nd Class in shocked disbelief. Meanwhile, the others were either focused on restraining Jekke or arguing amongst themselves about what to do with Alec. He didn't like the feel of things around here. Everything felt…fractured. Like they weren't all part of the same team anymore. And he certainly didn't care for Alec's attitude. He sounded just like Genesis.

 _No, he's worse. Not even Genesis would say that shit about Angeal._ Luxiere didn't know how they got to a place where a SOLDIER could go around thinking like that, much less _saying_ it. All differences with the 1st Classes aside, he never doubted that Angeal lived by the code of honor he asked them all to abide by. _Zack should be here. Someone needs to remind all of them why we're in SOLDIER and what we stand for. Get the situation under control._

But as Luxiere was here and Zack wasn't, that someone would have to be him. He felt ill-suited to play that role, but got to his feet with the intent to try. Alec didn't see him coming, still hurling insults at Jekke. Wasn't until Luxiere was standing next to him did he take any notice. From the man's grin, the 2nd Class obviously thought he was taking his side.

"Should've known you'd see what I'm getting at- you just spent two days with that other bitch, Lilith. If anyone understands why _they_ don't belong, you would."

When all he got was stony silence, Alec got the message that he'd made a bad assumption. Gradually, the other SOLDIERs around them fell quiet. He didn't have to break his stare to know that they were all watching him. Wondering what he meant to do, no doubt.

"You have a problem, man," Alec demanded when he could no longer bear the silence.

"You bet I do. Your _attitude_ is what doesn't belong in SOLDIER."

Murmurs rippled through the group. The other 2nd Class merely gaped at him, incredulous.

"I don't believe what I'm hearing. You're actually _defending_ the idiotic decision to promote glorified fangirls as if they were real SOLDIERs?"

A few years ago, that sentiment might have resonated with him. When he'd first made 3rd Class, Luxiere hadn't thought much of the half-dozen women who shared that rank. Hadn't believed that they were anything he should take seriously. But shortly after that he'd made friends with Zack and Kunsel, and they'd already gotten to know Lilith. The first time he'd sparred against _her_ had been a lesson in underestimating what those women were capable of.

At least for the ones who _were_ serious about being here. Luxiere didn't deny that a handful- or more- weren't much more than fangirls in uniforms. Or at least that was his impression. Maybe they'd come in with aspirations of becoming real SOLDIERs, but weren't as eager to fight the political battles to earn the respect of their male counterparts. Not everyone was cut out for _that_ kind of fight.

 _Really isn't fair that they have that much more to prove_. He thought of what Lilith had gone through in Junon, reminded again of what Kunsel had said. Angeal never would have asked Luxiere to do what she did. _And so can I really blame the ones like Abby, who chose to take the easier path once they realized how difficult the road to advancement would be?_

For the ones who did care- like Jekke- guys like Alec made it twice as hard to be seen as SOLDIERs. They set the example and everyone else just followed their lead. Well, Luxiere wasn't exactly the leading kind, but he certainly wasn't going to be content to follow _that_.

"No, I'm defending the right for anyone to get the chance at doing what they want to do. Who the hell cares if a SOLDIER is a man or a woman? All I care about is whether I can count on that SOLDIER in a battle. _You're_ the idiot who wants to make a big deal about something so completely irrelevant."

Alec said nothing in reply, but his disgusted expression spoke loudly enough. No one else was willing to support him, though, and so he merely stood up and stalked out of the lounge. Luxiere watched him go, knowing that even though he'd won this round, that that particular battle was only beginning.

* * *

His friend's expression conveyed that he was not so inclined to agree on that point. For a minute or two, he seemed to be debating with himself about whether to say something. And then he sighed.

"There's no point in reopening the discussion, I suppose. But I will say that Fair was not placated by the explanation that it was for the greater good."

"And that should concern us because?"

"Because we may have lost a valuable ally with the junior ranks just at the time we need one the most. He's not going to help us again after this, Sephiroth. At least not unless we can _prove_ what we want is for the benefit of the junior ranks."

"I see. That will be mildly inconvenient." He settled into the chair opposite his friend. "Not entirely as hopeless as you fear, however. His friend takes a more practical view of the matter, and expressed a willingness to help where Fair may not."

Angeal caught the deliberate shift in topic.

"I assume you mean Kunsel. He's agreed to take Lilith's photos to the slums to be printed, then?"

"Never got around to discussing it. I was far more interested in what he had to say about the Mayor's operative."

"So Lilith was right. He did obtain valuable information for us."

"Better."

"In what way?"

"He's found a potential way to infiltrate the Mayor's conspiracy network. I'd say a week- maybe two- to make the necessary preparations and then we send him back to Junon. Give him a team of two or three other SOLDIERs and then we'll find out who's _really_ running that organization."

His friend raised his eyebrows.

"Send him back to Junon. And as for this team…did you intend to send the others back with him as well?"

Sephiroth hadn't gotten that far in planning, having only begun to scope out the idea. He might have considered sending Fair, but really he was too much like Angeal. If the mission required any shady tactics, the 2nd Class would be a liability. The same with Luxiere, but for different reasons. A decent fighter he might be, but no secret was ever safe with that one.

And as for Lilith…sending her was not an option. She was a target. Why send her back to Junon and make it that much easier to get to her? Meanwhile, keeping her in Midgar would force their enemy to come to _him_ , providing Sephiroth with yet another means of discovering who was behind the unrest sweeping the planet. That and it would give him more time to explore what she could do with Materia. With proper training, she could be an effective tool.

"I believe their talents would be better suited elsewhere."

"Anything about that answer have to do with your text message?"

"You could say that." Sephiroth leaned back before adding casually, "You might be interested to know that I've discovered the identity of our Materia thief."

Interested wasn't really the right word, and he knew it. Sure enough, Angeal did not like that news one bit. He opened and closed his mouth, thought for several minutes, and then chose his next words very carefully.

"How much of this story do I want to know?"

"The less the better, I should think."

"Then I think we'll skip right to the part where you tell me about the assessment."

 _Wise choice, my friend._ He certainly wouldn't have wanted to hear that one of his SOLDIERs not only owned a set of lock picks, but was highly skilled in using them. Theft on the whole went against Angeal's honesty streak; whereas, Sephiroth saw it as another skill that gave them an advantage. _We can't afford to let scruples stand in the way of winning against our enemy. We've already seen that they're willing to do whatever it takes to defeat us._

"Well, I haven't fully reviewed the training simulation, but-"

"Training simulation," Angeal interjected. "Sephiroth, that's not how you're supposed to test novice users!"

"And if Lilith _was_ a novice, I wouldn't have started that way. But as she'd already used the Materia in Junon, the standard approach was pointless."

The 1st Class rested both elbows on the desk and pressed his fingertips together, eyebrows knit in an expression of consternation. He said nothing at first, until at last he must have decided where to take the conversation.

"All right. Perhaps we do need to back up a little, then. You said that Restore, Manipulate, Seal and Contain were all missing. You can't be telling me that Lilith successfully cast anything from those."

"Had to have. They'd all matured, and we both know there's only one way Materia does that."

"By how much?"

"Seal and Restore weren't changed by much. But Manipulate and Contain gained by quite a bit. I could see the difference in the strength of the latter's spells during this afternoon's training simulation."

"I'm almost afraid to ask which one."

"Flare."

Angeal's skin took on a slightly pallid hue and he swallowed hard.

"I can't even…do you have any idea how reckless it is to let a 2nd Class cast something like that!?"

"If it makes you feel any better, she was so drained afterward that she could hardly stand."

"No, that does not make me feel better," his friend retorted with a slashing look. "Where is Lilith now?"

"I ordered her to get some rest, so my guess would be asleep in one of the racks meant for SOLDIERs on duty." That answer didn't appease Angeal, but it did ensure that he wouldn't insist upon talking to her for the rest of today. "And I ought to take some time to review the session log to prepare for a debrief with her tomorrow. Unless you had anything more to discuss?"

"No."

"Then I'll get to it and meet you back here later to look through the Junon evidence."

* * *

Another boring afternoon. Genesis was grateful that it was very nearly over and he only had another half-hour before he could leave. Already, he was picturing himself opening the door of his apartment, where Danita would be waiting for him. Ready to listen to whatever he had to say- do _anything_ he wanted to do.

 _What madness was I thinking to want to send her away?_

And yet every so often, Genesis was gripped by the overwhelming need to be rid of the woman. Just a temporary flash that never lasted more than a second or two. But in those moments, he felt absolutely certain that Danita was wrong for him. Then the feeling would pass, leaving behind only the faintest sense of unease. As intangible as wisps of smoke.

 _It's nothing._

 _Nothing, you say? You know the adage about smoke and fire. Ignore it and you'll end up getting burned._

 _It's nothing I tell you,_ he argued against himself.

 _Suit yourself, but don't say I didn't warn you._

Genesis dismissed the ominous rejoinder without a second thought. He knew what he was doing, and had no intention of giving up Danita. She was the one he'd been waiting for. Utterly devoted to him and beautiful as a…goddess. Genesis' footsteps paused, thoughts drawn to the book he always kept with him. Had he truly found his goddess? Danita spoke of wanting to give him everything he deserved- to see him recognized as the hero he was.

 _All the more reason not to let her get away._

He resumed walking and turned the corner, on his way to the lounge so that he could reread _LOVELESS_. No sooner had he done so, he came across someone he hadn't seen in quite a while. The 2nd Class' back was to him, but Genesis recognized the stature and bearing as Kunsel right away. They hadn't run into one another since the Crestward. Really not that long ago in terms of days- barely a week. Just seemed as though it had been.

 _The story can wait ten or fifteen minutes while I have some fun at his expense._ Seemed like a good idea, until Angeal's warning stopped him cold. _The next time you push the matter we're going to Lazard and_ he'll _decide how best to deal with you._

Now was not the time to have the Director poking into his business. Genesis still had plans to ask him about a trip to Banora. Maybe he could convince Danita to go with him. His hometown might not be as glamorous or exciting as cities like Junon and Midgar, but he was sure she would be content. At least for a short visit.

 _Keep focused on what's important._

With that thought in mind, he watched the 2nd Class blend in with the rest of the SOLDIERs in the hallway. When he could no longer see him, Genesis set out again. Everyone steered clear of him. That is, until he'd nearly reached the lounge. A black-haired 2nd Class charged through the door and nearly ran straight into him.

From the man's deep-set scowl, whatever had gone on behind those doors had likely caused his foul mood. Genesis didn't care. It was still inexcusable to barge around without looking where he was going. He decided to teach this puppy a lesson, and planted himself in the 2nd Class' way. The man dew up short to avoid a collision, but didn't really _see_ who had blocked his path.

"Hey, what's the big idea, you-" The words ended abruptly when he noticed Genesis. His tone changed immediately. "Rhapsodos! Sir, I didn't mean to- I had no idea. My apologies for having gotten in your way, sir."

Genuine remorse. And something else that he hadn't heard around Headquarters in the past month. Genuine respect. Whoever this 2nd Class was, he understood the deference afforded someone of Genesis' rank. For that, he was willing to let the initial offense slide. In fact, he granted the man a minute of his precious time with a casually delivered observation.

"You appear to be having a trying afternoon…?"

"It's Wendt, sir. And yes, you could say that I am." The 2nd Class cut a glare to the door behind him. "It's nothing. My problem, so I'll handle it."

Normally, Genesis would leave it at that. As Wendt said, it was his problem. No reason to get involved. But something in his resentful tone struck a familiar chord. Genesis' curiosity was piqued enough to find out more.

"I'm sure you're capable enough to manage your own affairs, but as my colleague is fond of saying- it is the duty of SOLDIERs to watch out for one another."

At the mention of Angeal, that hint of resentment burgeoned into open hostility. So, apparently he'd stuck a nerve. Genesis wondered what his good friend had done to warrant such a reaction. Based on his own experiences of late, it could be just about anything. He invited the Wendt to speak his mind.

"I take it you and Hewley do not see eye to eye?"

"A minor difference of opinion about the Sector 7 business, sir. That's all."

He'd tried to play it off as unimportant. Likely not wanting to risk offending Genesis by criticizing a 1st Class. The mention of Sector 7 jogged a memory, though, and now he could recall where he'd seen the man before. Arguing with Jekke about their assignment to investigate the explosion site.

"Ah yes- the excursion team," he drawled. "Which would make you Alec. Hewley put you in charge of the team with the other 2nd Class."

Oh that did _not_ sit well. Genesis was sure he'd hit upon whatever was chewing on Wendt's mind.

"2nd Class. More like a pain in the ass," he muttered darkly. "No business even being assigned to the mission, much less _leading_ it. Damn near killed us all and _I'm_ the one who gets a lecture."

 _A very familiar story, indeed._

Went continued his rant, gesturing to the lounge as he added, "And now _they've_ all taken her side as well. Even Mattias kept silent when that loudmouth, Luxiere, starts on about equal opportunities. He's as bad as Fair now."

Genesis listened with bemused patience, thinking that maybe he could find a use for this man. Use that disgruntled attitude to his advantage. Wendt might be at odds with his colleagues, but he was still able to pass among them and hear things Genesis wouldn't. And he might be suitable to hang around Angeal's office now and then to report what his two friends were up to these days. So he set a hand on the 2nd Class' shoulder and offered him a commiserating smile.

"I understand your predicament, Alec. I understand it _very_ well."

The 2nd Class cast a look around the hallway before answering in a low voice, "I've always thought they were upset over nothing about that business with Lilith. You ask me, she could do with being taken down a peg or two. Her and her three friends. Kunsel got what he had coming to him."

 _You would be the only one around here to think so._

So far, only Danita believed that he wasn't in the wrong. If not for her, Genesis might have given in to the creeping doubts that maybe Angeal and Sephiroth were right. Nice to hear someone else support him, even if it was only a 2nd Class. While he didn't allow the man think those words mattered to him, he did let Wendt know that he agreed with his statement.

"Some people have no grasp of their true significance- or, shall we say _insignificance_ \- do they?"

"No, sir, they don't."

"Now you, for example. I can see that you're meant for better things, Wendt. With the right help to get you there, of course. That is, if that's something that appeals to you."

The 2nd Class' understood his meaning immediately, his expression leaving no doubt that he was interested. Just what Genesis intended by dangling the offer in the first place. Granted, he was over promising a tad, given that he didn't have much say in anything around here lately. But perhaps he could get Lazard's direct attention if he took Wendt under his wing and treated him as a protégé. Like Angeal was doing with Fair. Couldn't hurt to try.

 _Not like I have anything to lose._

"It would, sir. Absolutely. I'd be glad to do anything to prove I'm the kind of SOLDIER that Shinra needs."

 _I don't know about Shinra, but you're just the kind of SOLDIER_ I _need._

"I'm glad to hear it." Genesis' grin broadened, and he led the 2nd Class away from the lounge. "In that case, why don't we discuss a few things you could do that will help with your aspirations?"


	33. Chapter 33: Expectations

The day had been one miserable disappointment after another. First Gerald and his colossal failure in Junon, and now with the maddeningly inept crew left to support their operations here in Midgar. Of the six buildings they'd vetted for their new base, none so far had been close to what Danita would have called acceptable. Of those, _half_ had been in Sector 7, which was the _last_ place she'd wanted to rebuild.

 _Didn't I tell them- only buildings in Sector 8? At least twenty times. And did they listen?_

Obviously not, because here she stood in the sixth- and _last_ \- available option. What's worse, they were little more than five blocks from the smoldering ruins of their former base. Although on the surface Danita appeared calm and agreeable as she spoke with the building manager, inside she was seething. They'd have no choice but to accept this place. For now, anyway. Couldn't afford another day's delay in getting back to work. But once she'd closed the deal on the lease, Danita would express her displeasure with the operatives hovering in a group on the far side of the room.

 _I'll do more than express it,_ she added as her gaze flicked coolly over to them. _They need something a bit more_ tangible _to appreciate their role in this organization. And the obedience I expect of them._

"So will you be interested in signing the lease, Ms. Evans?"

Danita gave the stout gentleman her full attention and offered him a reserved smile. No need for anything more than that. The neatly dressed, middle-aged man projected an aura that he cared only for the matters of doing business right from the start. She'd taken her cue from there.

"Yes, I think the facility will be an excellent fit for my venture, Mr. Hollcraft. Shall we draw up the papers?"

"Why of course." He ushered them to a vacant room with a large desk in front of the window. Presumably an office used by the previous tenants. "What did you say your business was again?"

"Health and fitness. We distribute a line of supplements and products, as well as sell various fitness equipment. We wanted to expand into a larger space to have room for research and development."

Hollcraft nodded.

"Very sensible. I bet there's quite the market for that sort of thing."

"It's an expanding industry one that I expect to generate quite the returns on my investment," she replied blithely.

Danita wouldn't really know, nor did she care overmuch. This was just one of two cover stories she had devised while in Junon; the first had already been spent on a facility they'd acquired in Banora. But a business that dealt in potions as well as heavy equipment required chemicals and machinery. A plausible explanation should Hollcraft ever insist upon inspecting the premises in the future. That's what mattered.

As predicted, her answer satisfied him enough not to pursue the line of inquiry. They closed the contract without any issue. Danita crossed the 't' on her signature- or rather, her alias Catherine Evans' signature- and straightened. While the ink was still drying on the page, Hollcraft handed her a slim case containing the building's access key codes and other pertinent security information.

They'd have to get those modified as quickly as possible. The laughable system boasted less than a dozen cameras in all, and no countermeasures for anyone who might actually break into the building. No, that would not do at all. Danita thought it an excellent idea to let the grunts see to upgrading their new base according to her standards; they could work through the night for all she cared. Tomorrow morning, though, she expected to resume production of the Incavia vital to their plans.

"You have your work cut out for you, Ms. Evans, so I won't linger."

 _Well that's a relief. Can't have you in the way, now can we? And I know how to encourage you to vacate the premises with the utmost haste._

"I must say," she replied with a calculated smile. "I was grateful that you were available to discuss the lease arrangement on such short notice."

Her offhanded comment had the desired effect. She knew perfectly well why a property like this one stood empty, even if Hollcraft didn't want to admit it. The man gestured for her to precede him out of the office, doing his best not to look as discomfited as he obviously was. He removed his glasses and pretended to clean the lenses with a handkerchief. Stalling. Danita made no attempt to offer him a more congenial topic of discussion.

"Yes, well, been a bit of a challenge to keep tenants in this Sector lately," Hollcraft admitted at last. "And with the incident a few days ago- had several interested parties change their minds."

 _I'll bet they did. It's no wonder you're so eager to grasp at the first sign of gil- regardless of what kind of business I planned to run on your property._

"How fortunate for me, then, that I am not so easily discouraged from seizing what I want."

They reached the door leading to the street, where the thoroughly distraught businessman bade her a cursory goodbye before he fled. Danita watched with masked impatience until Hollcraft disappeared from sight. Once she was sure he'd gone, she swung the door closed and turned to face her team. The crew of four regarded her warily, likely sensing that she was displeased.

"What about my instructions was unclear to you," Danita demanded harshly. "I said to find locations beyond Sector 7. So I'm curious how it is we've ended up here."

* * *

I staggered into the bunk room, having stopped at my locker to pick up a few things after Sephiroth dismissed me. The bag I'd slung over my shoulder felt as though it weighed a thousand pounds. Tossing it on the first empty bed, I collapsed beside the worn knapsack with a relieved sigh. All I wanted to do was sack out for the next eight hours. Maybe ten. But I had one task to do yet.

 _The photos. Don't forget to send the photos._

My phone was digging into my hip. I shifted enough that I could pull it out of my pants pocket. It was only when I'd already pulled up the photos and prepared them for sending did I realize one key problem: I didn't know where to send them. Sephiroth had told me during the briefing that he'd tell me the number later, but he never did. Not in the Mako Infusion Room, nor in the training room. I couldn't believe that both of us had managed to forget.

 _Great. So now what do I do?_

The most obvious solution carried the least appeal. Haul my ass out of bed and track down the 1st Class. Definitely didn't want to do that, given that my legs felt as boneless as limp spaghetti noodles. But how else could I get this done? I didn't know Sephiroth's number. Didn't know Angeal's, either. Zack might, though, so I could try texting him. Except if I did that, he'd want to know why I wanted it, so that wouldn't work, either.

I resolved to give up and just send the damned things tomorrow. If it was that important, he would have remembered. Wasn't _my_ fault Sephiroth didn't provide me the information like he'd promised. Probably _would_ get blamed, anyway. With a huff of annoyance, I hit the home button. And since no one else was around, I thought it a good time to change into something more comfortable for sleeping- which was what I fully intended to do. I was just pulling a light cotton shirt over my head when I saw the screen light up.

 _Probably Zack, wanting to know how the rest of the debrief went. I haven't seen him since he and the others left Angeal's office._

It wasn't Zack. Wasn't any number I had programmed into my contacts list. I stared, somewhat stupefied at the message, and wondered the eeriness of its timing.

«SEND THE PHOTOS TO THIS NUMBER WHEN YOU GET THIS MESSAGE - S»

Was it really Sephiroth asking, or could it be someone else? Someone who worked for the conspiracy group? By now, I expected that Junon was aware that I was here. They might have overheard the briefing this morning to know that I had the photos. The message could be a trap to discover how much I'd learned from the Mayor. I chewed on my thumbnail, debating what to do. No help for it, I realized. I had to be sure. Even if what I was about to do annoyed the commander.

«ONLY IF YOU CAN TELL ME THE NAMES OF MY ALLIES FOR THE BATTLE SIMULATION - L»

Several seconds passed with no response. I wasn't sure whether it meant that my suspicions were correct and the would-be interloper gave up, or if I'd managed to irritate Sephiroth enough that he decided not to answer.

«ESSEX, KOHLEN, WENDT AND LINEL - S»

«ALL RIGHT- I'LL SEND THEM - L»

While I queued up the photos and waited for confirmation that they'd been received, Sephiroth sent another message.

«GOOD THINKING TO CHECK FIRST. BE SURE TO REPORT TOMORROW MORNING AT 9 - S»

I read the text several times, unable to hide a smile. Praise from a 1st Class- _that_ 1st Class in particular- was rare. Nearly impossible. I basked in it, hoping that this was a sign that I hadn't completely botched the training simulation today. And on that high note, probably best to call it a day. Get the rest I so desperately needed. My whole body ached, despite not having done much of any physical fighting.

Muscle pains- I could well ignore those; the gnawing pain building behind my eyes was another story. I hadn't noticed it when I first got to the bunk room, but it was making its presence known now. That would need to be taken care of. _Fast_. I groped blindly for the outside pocket of my bag until my fingers found the zipper. Giving it a tug, I managed to create an opening large enough for my hand. It slipped inside and searched the contents until my fingers brushed over a smooth glass vial. A second sweep located one of the accompanying cartridges.

Years of practice kept my hands steady as I loaded the cartridge into the syringe and depressed the trigger to inject the medicine subcutaneously into my arm. Now it was a waiting game until it took effect. If Gaia was kind, maybe ten minutes or so. I laid the medical instruments on the mattress and rubbed my hands over my temples. Just sat there and concentrated on breathing, grateful that the room was kept perpetually dim.

My eyes were closed, and so I didn't realize wasn't alone. At least not until the room's new arrival spoke.

"It's a migraine, isn't it?"

 _Oh this is not what I need._ I really didn't. Having Kunsel turn up just wasn't on the list of things I needed. Sleep? Definitely. Food? I'd get to it later. Having my…hell, I didn't know _what_ word really fit what we were to one another…turn up looking for an argument? Not on the list. _So let's see about getting him out of here._

Hoping to downplay my condition, I answered lightly, "Not if I can help it."

He must have stood in the doorway for several minutes. So long that I thought Kunsel had taken me at my word and decided to move on. No reason to stick around, really. Our friendship- and all of the obligations that went with it- ended yesterday. I certainly didn't expect him to keep me company until the needling pain receded. He'd said it himself that he was done. End of story.

"You weren't this exhausted at the debrief."

Kunsel's voice was much closer this time; he'd chosen to get involved, after all. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and tipped my head up to look at him. Took in what little cues I could distinguish from his stance and body language. Mostly, just trying to figure out why he'd even come in here. My aching brain did not thank me for that.

"Lilith?"

I wasn't sure what I wanted to tell him. Quite frankly, I didn't owe Kunsel an explanation at all. I could easily brush it off as nothing. He'd know I wasn't being honest, of course, and would likely walk out in disgust. Pretty much fit the status quo for our relationship of late. Or I could tell an outright- yet believable- lie. Either option would put a quick end to the conversation.

 _Or you could just tell him the truth._

I wasn't so sure that I could. And not just because telling him about the training simulation opened the door to a much longer discussion. There were other factors to consider. Sephiroth hadn't _said_ that the session was meant to be a secret, but I got the impression what he'd done wasn't something meant to get around Headquarters.

 _This isn't Luxiere we're talking about. This is Kunsel. Friends or not, you know he can keep a secret._

 _Yeah, but still…_

 _Are you that much of a coward?_

"It's been a long couple of days," I offered with an apathetic shrug. "Guess it's finally catching up with me."

 _Apparently, I am._

* * *

Several pages of scattered notes littered Angeal's desk. Part of his determination to piece together the information from Junon, Sector 7, and Lazard's mission log data. He'd started with the notes, hoping to copy whatever he could decipher onto fresh paper. The originals were so badly singed that they degraded every time they were handled. The task needed doing.

That, and it was a means of keeping occupied with thoughts that weren't about Lilith and Junon's Mayor. Or what Zack had to say about what happened on that mission. Words that continued to haunt him all afternoon. They surfaced yet again, despite Angeal's efforts to silence them.

 _She cried, Angeal._

He hadn't wanted to believe it. Wanted to believe the façade Lilith had presented to them during the briefing. But he knew better. Zack wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. Meaning he had to accept that she had, in fact, cried. Although he didn't know her as well as the 2nd Class, Angeal understood that such behavior was abnormal for her. He couldn't bring himself to think of what may have caused her to reach that breaking point.

 _Never should have agreed to Sephiroth's plan to send her there. None of this would have happened if we chose a different plan of attack._ Trouble was…even if they _had_ come up with another plan, it wouldn't have yielded the same success. Without getting someone into the Mayor's apartment, they never would have found the evidence linking him directly to the conspiracy. And that kind of invitation required… _Face it, you're just going to have to learn to live with this. As Sephiroth said- it's already done. Move on and make sure that what she went through wasn't for nothing._

Out of the corner of his eye, Angeal saw the screen of his cell phone brighten. Didn't even have the chance to unlock it before the next message came through. And another. Angeal punched in the four-digit code and pulled up the conversation.

«GOT THE REST OF THE INTEL»

Angel had been wondering when he'd hear about the photos. Sephiroth hadn't mentioned receiving them when they'd spoken a little while ago, and after what he _had_ said about the Materia training, Angeal assumed Lilith wouldn't be sending them until tomorrow. She must have remembered, after all. He scrolled down to the next message, expecting it to contain the promised photos.

It didn't.

«THINKING YOU WERE RIGHT- PRINTED WILL BE FOR THE BEST»

«WILL SEND THE 2nd CLASSES TOMORROW»

Puzzling messages at first. Of course the printed images would be easier to decipher, but why not send them over in the meantime? Angeal wanted to get on with solving this ugly business as soon as possible. This would mean a delay of nearly a day. He was about to send a reply to that effect, but reread Sephiroth's texts once more in search of some subtle explanation.

 _There has to be a reason,_ he told himself. Just like earlier when his friend had been somewhat cryptic about meeting with Lilith. These messages gave him the same feeling- like Sephiroth was trying to communicate something without actually _saying_ it. Slightly annoyed by all the subterfuge, Angeal groused, _I don't have the patience for this. Why can't he just say what he wants?_

No sooner had he asked the question, a disturbing answer came to him. One that reminded Angeal of the half-voiced concerns he and this friend had traded just the other day. Add to it what Lilith had said about a potential spy lurking around SOLDIER…he could think of at least one reason why Sephiroth might keep his messages vague.

 _Maybe it's for the best not to discuss specifics unless we're in person. At least not until we know that someone hasn't hacked into our private text messages._

«I AGREE» he sent back. «WERE YOU STILL STOPPING BY?»

«FIFTEEN MINUTES- MAYBE MORE»

Angeal set the phone down without answering. Rather than go back to transcribing the Sector 7 note fragments, he turned his attention back to the Junon letter. The first two pages pertained mostly to the Leviathan and Oceanus, but he'd yet to tackle the final page. Seemed a good time to take a look at it. As one hand rifled through the untidy pile on his desk, the other switched on a lamp. Early evening had begun to fall over Midgar, and the room had become too dim to see properly.

A yellow glow illuminated the page. Angeal skimmed over the top half, mentally tallying up the supplies and figures discussed in the first two paragraphs. To him, they spoke volumes as to the scale of the operation. Whoever this group might be, they consumed a sizeable portion of the economy in Junon. Banora, too. And then Angeal's eyes caught on the second to last paragraph. The one that mentioned the WRO base.

Dread settled in the pit of his stomach. According to the evidence Sephiroth had uncovered, Beryl and Lewis had disappeared from there only a few weeks ago. Angeal had been holding out hope that they were merely delayed by an unexpected assignment. Unlikely, especially given that their names appeared on not one but _two_ missions that seemed to exist only on paper.

As he read the orderly handwriting on the page, those hopes all but vanished. The paragraph detailed plans to compromise Shinra's influence in that part of the world, starting with the WRO base. When the letter was written, those plans hadn't yet been put to action, but the wording indicated that a move to implement wasn't far off. Angeal read to the end of the paragraph, anger building with every word. Wasn't until he got to the last sentence, though, that he couldn't contain it any longer.

"Acquire a few strategic Shinra assets," he read aloud, voice thrumming with fury. "You…soulless monsters! Those were _people_."

The letter made no mention of what the group intended to _do_ with the captured SOLDIERs. He had no way of knowing if they were taken to a rebel facility near the WRO base, or to Midgar, or even directly to Junon- let alone whether they were alive or dead. The image of Barrington rose in the back of his mind, only now the face he superimposed on the mutilated corpse belonged to Lewis. Angeal's heart was heavy, weighted by a sense of responsibility. Those were his men. SOLDIERs who'd trained under him and fought beside him.

 _Nothing you could have done._

 _If I hadn't been preoccupied with Genesis, I might have followed up with the base more frequently. Might have known about the disappearances weeks ago._

 _And still been unable to do anything about it. As you said- you don't know where they would be held._

The argument against himself was a pointless one. Angeal sat back in his chair while gazing at the ceiling. Everything about this conspiracy left him drained. Mentally and even physically. There were nights he collapsed into bed still fully dressed- boots and all. Just too tired to bother.

And yet too burdened with the need to solve this mystery to truly sleep, either. After what he'd heard and seen today, Angeal doubted rest would come easily tonight. He expected to be kept awake well into the wee hours of the morning, haunted by the decisions that got them all to the present circumstances.

 _I wish I could trust talking to Genesis,_ he thought with dismay.

His old friend had been a confidante through all their years together. More so than Sephiroth. Not that the silver-haired commander wouldn't listen to a problem. It was just that he tended to approach everything as a battle to be won. He never just _talked_ to people. Genesis, on the other hand, knew when Angeal just needed him to lend a commiserating ear. No burden seemed unbearable when shared between the two of them.

But things had changed. _Genesis_ had changed. Angeal wasn't so certain the other 1st Class could think of anything beyond that fangirl. Not about Shinra, or SOLDIER- or even his friends. With a sigh, he picked up a pen and went back to transcribing the notes from Sector 7.

 _Can't dwell on regrets. Just have to keep moving forward and hope Genesis will snap out of it._

* * *

Kunsel stared at me for some time before observing quietly, "I saw you leave training room six. That wouldn't have anything to do with why you're dead on your feet, would it? Or why you needed _that_?"

He'd gestured to the bed next to me- to the syringe and empty cartridge lying in plain view. No doubt he'd been standing in the doorway at the right moment to see me use them. My gaze dropped briefly and then darted back up to him. Kunsel raised an eyebrow, but his mouth remained a grim, flat line. I really didn't understand why he was making a case of this. But now that the meds were kicking in, I was too drowsy to fight about it.

"Okay, busted. Yes, I was in there, and yes, it was a particularly strenuous training simulation."

"Why would you run one at all? You couldn't take _one_ day off- even though we only just got back from a mission this morning?"

My next words left me before I'd thought them through.

"When a 1st Class tells you to report to a training room, you go. The excuse 'I'm too tired' doesn't really work in that situation."

"Which 1st Class," Kunsel demanded with a frown.

"Sephiroth," I replied with a yawn. "Kunsel, can we do this later- like tomorrow? As you said, I'm exhausted."

My request fell on deaf ears as he fired another question at me.

"Just what sort of simulation did he have you run?"

"He, uh, wanted to assess my skills with Materia. And just to forestall the questions I know you're going to ask, yes, he found out about the spheres I'd borrowed."

"Stole."

"Semantics. In any case, Sephiroth wanted me to demonstrate what I could do with them in a fight…so I gave him one."

Kunsel let it go, but wasn't completely done with the subject on the whole. He cast a speculative look at me and said, "I gather he's not going to tell Lazard."

"I don't think so."

"Well, then you're damned lucky."

"I'll have a better appreciation of that fact when morning rolls around."

I stifled another yawn, thinking that perhaps Kunsel would take the hint and leave. He didn't. Stood in front of me, a thousand-yard stare masking whatever he might have been thinking. The reprieve was merely temporary; I knew it was only a matter of time before he gave voice to it.

"He's using you."

"Kunsel, it was just a training simulation."

"And Junon was just a PR mission," he threw back at me, tone decidedly sarcastic. "He knows that you want to make rank, and he'll use that to make demands that serve his interest- reasonable or not."

"So what if he is? What's it matter to _you_ , anyway? We're not friends anymore, remember?"

I shouldn't have said those last words aloud. They revealed far too much about the underlying emotions that prompted me to utter them. Too tired to be cautious. Hardly awake enough to focus on the conversation at all. I blinked against the meds' attempts to lull me to sleep, afraid I might pitch forward any minute. Must have nearly done so, because the next thing I knew, Kunsel had caught me by both shoulders.

We were only inches apart; I jerked backwards out of self-preservation, not wanting to give into the temptation to close that distance. He let me go, but didn't step back, either. I could sense that whatever Kunsel was about to say had the potential to undo the last 24 hours. Or to see the bond between us further rend apart. Honestly, I wasn't certain which of those outcomes I hoped to play out.

"You're right. We're not," he admitted. _So it will be the latter, then_. "And I stand by the reasons we can't be. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm right- or that I'm going to call it out when I see it."

"Kunsel, you know why I'm doing this."

"To make 1st Class."

"I _have_ to. I've spent half my adult life just to get this far- and I'm so damned close. I can't stop now."

"I never said you had to," Kunsel argued back. "All I'm saying is that you should be more careful about how much you give on _their_ behalf. Sephiroth will be happy to take whatever he can, but there's no guarantee he'll give anything in return."

As if I didn't know that. Sephiroth's ambition was a large part of how he made it to the top in SOLDIER. Not to mention how he _stayed_ on top. So of course I knew that I had to be shrewd in how I dealt with him. At least if I hoped to secure any recognition for myself.

"I know what I'm doing."

From his expression, Kunsel disagreed. But he let the matter go. Conversation stalled, and I regarded him with the dull heaviness of exhaustion.

"Why did you come in here, Kunsel," I asked finally.

After a moment's hesitation, he exhaled and combed his fingers through his ash blonde hair.

"I've been asked if I would take an assignment in Junon."

To say I was surprised was an understatement. Almost thought the statement was a bizarre attempt at levity, but no, no it wasn't. Kunsel was dead serious. Someone- I could guess who- wanted him back in Junon. _And you lecture_ me _about taking on assignments on_ his _behalf. How is this not the same thing?_ It would do me no good to make that argument, so I skipped right to my next thought.

"You're going to take it."

"I am. It's not a done deal yet, and I don't know when I'll leave. But I thought I'd offer to let you stay at my place while I'm gone. You wouldn't have to rush into finding a lease for a new apartment."

I thought he might have added more to that, but Kunsel must have thought better of it. If he'd been considering extending that invitation to stay with him _before_ he left Midgar, I could easily see why he'd second guessed himself. Making _that_ offer came with a serious risk- regardless of whether I said yes or no.

 _What_ would _you have said?_

 _I couldn't possibly agree. Word of it would get out- my reputation would be ruined._

 _Are you so sure?_

 _It doesn't really matter. I've already promised Sephiroth and Angeal I'd stay here._

 _You're avoiding the question._

I was. Because I was too afraid to answer it. And because I was afraid, I didn't broach the subject on my own. Just fussed with the utilitarian blanket covering the mattress and nodded.

"I'll, uh, think on it. I'm kind of stuck here for a while, though. The 1st Classes weren't all that keen on me leaving Headquarters until they know more about the Mayor's organization. But maybe by the time you leave, they'll have changed their minds."

"Maybe."

"Thanks. For the offer, that is."

"You'd be doing me a favor. I don't know how long I might be gone. If you're there, I won't risk losing the place."

He made it sound like it didn't matter. I knew better than to believe him, but pretended to, anyway.

"Makes sense."

We fell silent for an awkward moment or two, and then Kunsel took a step backward.

"Anyway, that's all I came in to say. You're obviously tired, so I'll just be headed out."

"See you," I told him as he reached the door. "And Kunsel?"

"Yeah?"

"Watch your back, okay?"

He might have smiled, but I couldn't see well enough from across the room. Right before he turned away, Kunsel replied, "You be sure to do the same, Lilith."

* * *

The corridors of HQ were emptying out with the end of the workday. Most SOLDIERS were heading home, except anyone on duty. Normally, Alec would be annoyed about being one of the latter. But his conversation with Rhapsodos this afternoon gave him a new perspective. This was an opportunity to make good on the favor the 1st Class had asked of him. The start of his rise to success and the recognition he deserved.

He and Rhapsodos had a long talk once they'd left the lounge. It had been his first real interaction with the legendary 1st Class, and Alec wasn't disappointed in how it turned out. A far more satisfying interaction than he'd had with Hewley the other day when he'd given Alec that bullshit lecture about teamwork and leadership. Whatever garbage everyone else was saying about Rhapsodos, he certainly didn't see any basis for it.

 _Nothing more than jealous, spineless twats,_ he sneered with a derisive snort. _Especially Fair and his friends._

Alec hoped to see those four get what had coming to them. Sephiroth and Hewley, too. Which was why he was crouching between a large cabinet and a stack of equipment crates in this deserted hallway. Keeping an eye on the 1st Classes to see if Rhapsodos' suspicions were true and that those two _were_ up to something shady and underhanded. Wouldn't surprise Alec in the least- not even of Hewley. A man who makes that much of a deal about honor and duty sounds like someone hiding a guilty conscience.

 _That'd be quite the fall from grace for you, wouldn't it? Mr. Perfect- getting caught plotting against Shinra._ He would gladly spend the next hundred duty days skulking around HQ if it meant he could be the one to shine that particularly spotlight. Let all of them answer to Lazard. Couldn't expect the Director to kick the 1st Classes out, of course. But it might be enough to get Rhapsodos named the elite commander of SOLDIER in Sephiroth's place. _And as for the rest…we'd be well rid of_ them _\- especially that harping bitch, Lilith._

With those four gone, Alec expected that it wouldn't be long before he'd be promoted to 1st Class in Fair's stead. Everyone knew that Hewley was grooming him to make the next rank. Only natural for SOLDIER to recognize who the true candidate should be. And there'd be some serious changes around this place just as soon as he was. Alec certainly didn't intend to forget how the others had treated him today.

 _I'll be sure they'll get theirs, too._

Remaining carefully concealed in his hiding spot, Alec spied on the door to the unused office a short distance down the hall. He'd seen Sephiroth go in there a half hour ago- maybe longer- with what looked like a laptop tucked under one arm. Odd, given that every office on the floor already had the full set-up. So if the 1st Class just needed a computer terminal, he had no need to bring his own.

 _Unless he's doing something he doesn't want Shinra to know about._

A theory that supported what Rhapsodos had been telling him earlier. Secret meetings every night. Mysterious reports that weren't requested by the Director. The 1st Class had even hinted that the so-called Fair's 'PR' mission in Junon wasn't what his team was _really_ there to do. Rhapsodos hadn't been more specific about why _else_ Hewley would have sent them, but Alec got the impression it wasn't for the reasons everyone had assumed. Nothing to do with the fight involving that idiot, Kunsel.

Really was too bad that Alec got into that argument with Luxiere. A loudmouth gossip by nature, he would have been the perfect one to prod for information. Of course, that begged the question why Hewley and Sephiroth would send _him_ if they were up to something they wanted kept quiet. Odds were, he likely hadn't been told anything important. Still, Luxiere might have noticed things about the mission that would have been useful.

 _Would have been. But he's set against me after what I said about Lilith. Won't be able to coax a peep out of_ him _until he's cooled off some._

The door opened, bringing his focus back to the present. Sephiroth stepped out into the hallway, laptop still in hand. For a moment or two, the silver-haired commander just stood in the empty corridor. Alec worried that his presence had been detected; Sephiroth was famous for his uncanny situational awareness. He could sense an enemy without ever seeing him. But the 1st Class didn't even look his way before he resumed walking in the opposite direction.

 _Headed for Hewley's office, I'll wager._

Cautiously, Alec crept out of his hiding place once he was sure the 1st Class had turned the corner. He stayed well out of sight the whole way. Sure enough, Sephiroth ducked into the other man's office. The door closed firmly behind him, which gave Alec the chance to get closer. Mindful of how loud boot heels rang against the tiled floors, he tried to stay on the balls of his feet. Every few steps, he'd pause to listen. Straining for signs that they were aware of his approach.

The precautions cost him time, but Alec would rather miss some of what they were discussing over any chance they'd catch him. No telling what they might do to him for spying. Despite the danger, Alex was excited to finally do something worthy of his skills. He'd never been asked to do anything really _important_. Nothing like this. Just bullshit assignments and guard duty. Blood pounded in his ears as he neared the office door. Nerves and excitement.

Hewley and Sephiroth remained in the office, giving no indication that they would emerge any time soon. Emboldened by the lack of discovery, Alec leaned close enough to the door to hear the conversation within. He was just in time to hear Sephiroth voice a very ominous observation in his carefully modulated tone.

"You're certain they've been eliminated?"

"Given the evidence," Hewley answered. "I'm left with little reason to doubt."

"That's two down."

"Two so far, Sephiroth. I expect we're bound to discover more that meet with the same fate."

* * *

The leader- or what passed as a leader- stepped forward to answer for the group. He fidgeted and avoided eye contact. What did she expect, though? The Midgar cells received little exposure to proper instruction as compared to the central cells in Junon. Shinra's shining city it might be, but for people like Danita, most of its denizens were still backwater hicks. Soft-minded and weak-willed.

 _And since we lost all of our Junon members in that wretched blast, I'm stuck with this lot until I get replacements to supplement the ranks._

"We did make inquiries, High Maven. Darby and Kyle canvassed all of Sector 8 for locations like you wanted."

"And?"

"It's like the guy said- businesses have been clearing out of this Sector. Buying up properties everywhere else just to get away. Didn't matter how much gil we offered to be put ahead of them. The others kept outbidding us for the spot."

Danita was about to deliver a scathing lecture to the fool for doling out such a weak excuse, but her cell phone vibrated to notify her that she'd received an incoming text message. Not the one in the outer pocket of her purse- not the number she'd given Genesis. Meaning…she withdrew her _other_ phone and read the code flashing on the display.

Junon. And not just anyone from Junon. She recognized it as the Doyenne's _personal_ code and immediately walked away without another word. Only when she'd closed the office door behind her did Danita place her call. The voice on the other line didn't waste time on greetings, cutting straight to business as usual.

"What happened? The latest brief tells me that the spy is back in Midgar."

"It's true. She's here."

A long, ominous pause carried over the line. Danita talked directly to the Doyenne quite frequently, but couldn't help a measure of uneasiness every now and then. Having seen what the woman was willing to do, that uneasiness wasn't without good cause. She held supreme authority over the organization, and maintained that position with cold ruthlessness. Danita refused to crumble beneath it, however, waiting for what the Doyenne would say next.

"He failed us."

She didn't say _who_ had failed them. The Doyenne never referred to names when on the phone as a matter of principle. Likewise, she insisted that everyone memorize each other's codes and phone numbers. That way, if the phone was lost or stolen, no one could use that information against them. In this instance, Danita didn't need a name to know who the woman meant. Or how she felt about that particular person. Those three words conveyed equal amounts of disgust and disappointment. Danita saw it as an opportunity to strengthen her own position, and was encouraged to add a frank observation of her own.

"After what he told me this morning, it's obvious he's done worse than that; he's put the entire operation at risk."

"I see. How much does the Shinra spy know?"

"One of the things I aim to find out when I meet with her tomorrow, but as of this moment- no way of knowing. He doesn't remember anything."

Another minute of silence. Danita could feel the Doyenne weighing those words, knowing that she'd all but sealed Gerald's doom. Maybe not now, given that a sudden disappearance would invite too many unwanted questions. Nor were they prepared with a replacement that would be as cooperative. But once he could be safely _retired_ Junon's mayor would become a welcome addition to their pool of research subjects.

 _I hope to be there when they perform the first extraction,_ she thought. _Just to see the look on your imbecilic face. And to remind you that_ I _helped to put you there._

"Report directly once you meet with her. Do not take any steps to mitigate any exposure until you receive further instructions."

"Of course." Like Gerald, abducting the woman was too risky. Sephiroth would anticipate it, and would ensure she was well guarded at all times. But they still had other options. Danita proposed what she considered to be the best of them. "That being said, I think now would be a good time to remind our business associate of our _arrangement_ , and what will happen if he doesn't hold up his end."

"Agreed. Make no mention of why, but apply enough pressure in that direction to stall any momentum from Shinra's elite 1st Classes."

"I'll see to it immediately."

The conversation shifted abruptly as the Doyenne asked, "And as to the situation in Midgar?"

Danita was grateful to have better news to report on that front. Despite having no control over the situation with Gerald, she hadn't liked that she couldn't answer all of the woman's questions. Didn't like giving the impression that she had somehow failed. And so she was quick to provide the Doyenne with an update that would put her in a more positive light.

"Signed a lease on a new base just this afternoon. We'll be up and running by tomorrow evening at the latest."

"I must say that surprises me, given the losses sustained in the blast. We anticipated a setback of two or three weeks, if not more."

Ordinarily, Danita would have agreed. Several of the key items took well over two weeks to obtain- and that was under the best of circumstances. Which was why she had authorized the assembly of those rarer instruments before leaving Junon. Especially when she knew Pieter had been chosen to lead the Incavia operation in Midgar. Foresight that Danita congratulated herself on having now, for it allowed her to get back on schedule more readily.

"I'd already begun assembling the necessary equipment for a second site. Just in case the primary site was compromised."

"A waste of valuable resources. The scientist should have been relieved and sent back to Junon last week."

 _And yet nothing is ever good enough._ The Doyenne's tone communicated quite clearly that she wasn't impressed by how quickly they would recover from the disaster. Her focus remained on all of the ways Danita should have prevented it. _Even if we both know sending Pieter back to Junon wasn't really an option._

But as pointing that out would do nothing- or would only make things _worse_ \- Danita swallowed her outrage and accepted the criticism without complaint.

"I understand, and will act with more vigilance in the future."

"Call me with your next update this time tomorrow."

The line went dead. No praise. No acknowledgement of any of the challenges Danita had faced or overcome in the name of the organization. Just the never-ending expectation that she could always be doing _more_. Danita cleared her call history and slipped the phone into her jacket. She schooled her features and put those thoughts from her mind before opening the door.

"Darby," she called out sharply. "Bring me the Director's brat."


	34. Chapter 34: Pressure Points

The crowds of disgruntled citizens hadn't yet arrived when Sephiroth walked through the glass entry doors of Shinra Headquarters. The almost reverent silence was welcome. Definitely preferred over the cacophony that would overwhelm the lobby within the hour. He'd left his apartment early enough to avoid the annoyance, even though no one would dare hurl one of their complaints in _his_ direction. They knew better, preferring to harass softer targets stationed at the reception desk. Still, no need to suffer listening to their tireless clamoring for 'justice'.

 _All in due time._

Sephiroth was confident that he would bring down the group responsible for the explosion. That would have to be justice enough. The next step in obtaining that success lie with completing the assessments with the 2nd Classes. Starting with Lilith's. He intended to finish debriefing with her, having spent well over an hour studying the simulation yesterday evening. Some interesting observations had come out of that. _Very_ interesting.

Lilith's natural ease in wielding the advanced Materia was the most telling. Straight from the decision to cast a spell to the act of unleashing it. No need to plan out any steps in between. SOLDIERs trained for _months_ before achieving that level of fluidity; most never quite managed to master the technique. Granted, Sephiroth wouldn't call Lilith a _master_. She lacked finesse and certain elements of control. But with proper guidance, her raw talent could be refined and perfected.

 _Pity that Genesis is acting somewhat unreliable of late. I could have used his help in this._

As he would be taking on the task alone, he was fortunate to be starting from a point where Lilith could not only cast the spells she intended, but strike her intended targets as well. She had only missed once during the simulation, and he could hardly fault her in that case. She couldn't have anticipated that Wendt would shove the unfortunate Linel into the line of fire. After all, SOLDIER training didn't teach them tactics that set members of a team against one another.

 _So where did the 2_ _nd_ _Class get that idea, I wonder?_

A question to ask during Wendt's own assessment, perhaps. For now, Sephiroth was far more interested in discussing the lady's strategy as she unraveled the true enemy in the simulation. He had replayed the betrayal scene several times to observe Lilith's reactions and gauge her thoughts. Despite a thorough examination of the recording, Sephiroth still couldn't determine why she chose to cast Flare. Reading Lilith's expression ruled out any concern that she'd done it solely with the intent of impressing him. But if not that, he was at a loss why she would take such a drastic measure.

The elevator delivered him to his destination, which was also quiet at this hour. Only a few SOLDIERs- those who'd been on duty, primarily. And since Lilith was living here as of yesterday, she should be around somewhere. If she was awake, chances were he would have time enough to talk to her before his meeting with Kunsel. And so rather than stop by Angeal's office, Sephiroth performed a leisurely circuit of the floor.

No sign of Lilith in the break room or the lounge. Before conceding that she might still be asleep, he'd try the simulation rooms. Number two was currently in use. Sephiroth checked the log and sure enough, her name appeared as the newest entry.

 _I see I'll have to proscribe very explicit instructions regarding her training schedule or she'll burn herself out before she can be of any use._

Sephiroth keyed in an override code that unlocked the door. The simulation kept running, and he remained near the entry so he could observe without interfering. Lilith, occupied with the mock battle, didn't notice that she had company. Understandable at first, but as the minutes ticked by and she had yet to look beyond her simulated opponents, he couldn't ignore the lapse any longer.

While keeping to the periphery of the room, Sephiroth advanced on Lilith's position. She dispatched one of her opponents, and was nearly ready to deal the last blow to the remaining beast. At that moment, he closed the distance between them and pressed three fingers between her shoulder blades.

"You're dead," he stated flatly.

Lilith jolted with a shriek of surprise. The next instant, she'd already pivoted on her heel and raised her sword as if to strike. Sephiroth caught her wrist as it came down, stopping her; a SOLDIER of lesser reflexes would have taken the hit. They stood locked in that position for several minutes. Long enough for Lilith to process the situation enough that she recognized who she'd tried to attack.

"Commander, sir! I-"

"Are you sensible enough to lower the weapon if I let go?"

"Yes, of course, sir."

He released his grip, and as promised, she sheathed the sword. From her somewhat clumsy movements, Sephiroth could tell she was still unnerved. To be expected. Junior ranks weren't told about the codes to override the door locks, much less given access to them. Lilith rubbed her wrist absently and exhaled.

"Sorry about that. The whole taking a swing at you thing, that is. I just wasn't expecting…"

"You do not need to apologize for following your training instincts. Nor should you."

"Oh."

Her expression fell somewhere between wary and dubious, as if trying to work out whether to believe he was serious. Or perhaps wondering why he wasn't offended. Other 1st Classes might have been- Genesis came to mind at the top of that list- but Sephiroth wasn't so hypocritical. And hypocritical it would be to fault someone else for reacting as he would have under the same circumstances.

"That being said- I recall telling you to rest," he reminded her disapprovingly. "Imagine my surprise to arrive this morning to find you already training."

"I, uh, woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. Seemed like a good time get practice in before the rooms filled up."

"I see."

 _After yesterday's simulation, Most SOLDIERs would have slept like the dead until mid-morning. So why didn't you?_

* * *

Angeal arrived at his office to find a messenger waiting for him. The 3rd Class stood at attention, clutching a folded piece of paper in one hand. From the look of it, he'd been there for some time. An omen that did not bode well for the start of the day. Certainly nothing he wanted to deal with after the sleepless night he'd just had. Deal with it he must, though.

 _It can at least wait until I'm at my desk._ He set his hand to the door handle, and had just unlocked it when the 3rd Class cleared his throat.

"Mr. Hewley, sir?"

 _I guess it_ can't _,_ Angeal thought while suppressing an aggravated sigh. He shot the chestnut-haired man a look far more charitable than he was feeling at the moment, but still fell short of his normal demeanor.

"Yes?"

"I was told to give you this when you arrived first thing." The 3rd Class extended his arm, offering the message. "It's from the Director, sir."

Lazard. Definitely not good. Short of a summons from Veld- or Rufus- things couldn't get much worse. He accepted the wallet-sized piece of paper with an underlying sense of dread, though he let nothing of it show on his face. The 3rd Class stepped back. Without raising his eyes, Angeal dismissed him.

"Unless the Director ordered you to wait for a reply, you may go."

"Yes, sir."

The SOLDIER fled almost immediately, leaving him to read the message. The seal broke easily beneath his thumb, and he flipped the creased page open. His other hand had yet to release the doorknob, having pushed it open with the intent to walk in. However, Angeal didn't even finish reading before he yanked the door closed and relocked it. By the time he'd gotten to the end, he was on his way to Lazard's office.

 _I guess that's answered the question of what the Mayor was going to do once he realized he'd been outsmarted._

Still, it seemed a risky move on the part of their enemy to involve Lazard. Shouldn't the Mayor be more concerned about what Angeal and Sephiroth might tell Shinra about his involvement with the terrorist group? Angeal didn't like it. Nor did he like that Sephiroth wouldn't be with him when he spoke to Lazard. But the Director's summons had been clear on that point: Angeal alone.

Preparing to face the worst, he pushed open the door. At first, the room looked to be deserted. Lazard wasn't sitting behind his desk, and Angeal might have turned back if he hadn't caught the slightest movement out of the corner of his eye. The Director was muttering to himself as he opened and slammed file drawers in agitation. Every so often, he'd pluck a file out at random, page through it, and then stuff it back in place. Angeal crossed the length of the room, his presence unnoticed, until he was less than a few feet away.

"Lazard?" he prompted, causing the man jump in startled surprise. He slid the drawer closed and turned around, but didn't say anything. Angeal gave him a long, assessing look. "You're a bit rough around the edges this morning."

He'd meant it to sound light-hearted, but Lazard didn't crack a smile. The Director looked more than a little worse for wear. Now that they were so close, Angeal could see dark circles under the man's eyes. Not to mention the worry lines creasing his forehead and bracketing the corners of his mouth. Angeal doubted that he'd gotten any sleep last night. Maybe for the last _several_ nights.

Lazard didn't waste any time on pleasantries.

"What kind of mission did you send those 2nd Classes on in Junon," he demanded, cutting a sharp glance at him. "I know what you and Sephiroth _told_ me they'd be doing, but that wasn't exactly the whole truth, was it, Angeal?"

 _Well, now I know why you wanted to see me alone._

Sephiroth could have found a way to evade the question, or redirect Lazard's focus in some way. Just as he had when the two of them had sold the idea to him earlier this week. Not Angeal. Not when asked a direct question. He couldn't bring himself to compromise his honor by telling an outright lie. A stance he would hope Sephiroth would understand when he found out about this meeting.

"No sir," he admitted with reluctance. "After the reports stopped coming from Junon, we saw this as a chance to obtain the intel we wanted."

Visibly annoyed, he swept a hand across his desk, which was littered with official-looking papers. The cavernous room reverberated as the usually soft-spoken Lazard lashed out, "I told you to let that alone hardly a week ago!"

 _Is it me, or does he sound…frightened?_

"We had good reason to suspect that the office is corrupt."

"You and Sephiroth deliberately disobeyed your orders. And this time, you've certainly whacked the hornets' nest. The Mayor is _furious_. He's thoroughly insulted that Shinra would send SOLDIERs to spy on his office and pry into his _personal_ life." He tried not to cringe at the emphasis on 'personal'. Fortunately, Lazard didn't elaborate as to what exactly the Mayor had told him. He went on with his spiel. "You're damned lucky that I could pacify the Mayor without getting President Shinra involved."

Lucky? Angeal doubted it. Complaining to President Shinra would earn the Mayor too much scrutiny at a time when he could ill-afford it. He could see now what game their enemy was playing. They'd called Lazard as a scare tactic, using him to 'shake them down' and put them on an even tighter leash. Well, that wasn't going to work. Angeal thought of the letter he'd read last night, and what 'backing off' meant for SOLDIERs like Lewis and Beryl.

Fueled by indignation that Lazard was so quick to buckle in the face of a little political pressure, he fired back with several angry words of his own.

"Pacify them how, Lazard? Look the other way as people disappear in every major city on the planet? As your own _SOLDIERs_ disappear? Is that the sort of leadership _you_ want to be known for? I know _I_ sure as hell don't. And neither does Sephiroth."

Lazard's expression grew closed. His rejoinder was stiffly formal.

"Just what are you implying?"

"We know about the missing 1st Classes," Angeal threw back heatedly. "We know that at least _two_ of them have vanished at the hands of the people the Mayor is working for, and there are a half-dozen _more_ whose whereabouts cannot be confirmed. Don't tell me you didn't already know- you've been covering it up for months!"

The accusation laid heavy in the air, taking with it the majority of Lazard's stony outrage. He sank wearily into his desk chair and scraped his blonde hair back with both hands. Angeal said nothing, merely observing what he'd do next. In a rare move, Lazard surprised him by removing his customary spectacles. He placed them carefully on the desk at his elbow and passed a hand over his face. A face that seemed to have aged a decade in the course of a week.

"Please tell me that whatever you sent those four to do was worth it," he entreated him hoarsely. "Don't tell me _what_ they told you- I _can't_ know that much- but at least tell me that they gave you _something_ that will end this."

Angeal weighed those words carefully, comprehension dawning on him by degrees. How could they not have seen it before? He tried not to feel disappointed in the man now facing him, knowing that however this happened, it hadn't been easily done. But he had to ask. Had to know _why_.

"What do they have on you, Lazard, to make you their eyes and ears inside SOLDIER?"

Lazard stared at him, jaw clenched and silent. He wanted to unburden himself, but something held him back. When the Director did speak, his query didn't change. "Tell me, Angeal- are we _any_ closer to breaking them?"

The pathetic desperation threading through the query convinced him not to press for his own answers. Angeal nodded grimly.

"We're a damned sight closer than we were before, Lazard. I can promise you that much."

"Thank you. That…helps."

"If there's anything we can do…"

"You're doing it. All I ask is that you tread carefully." Lazard lowered his voice to barely more than a whisper as he added, "You have no idea what lengths these people are prepared to go to."

 _No, I don't. But I'm starting to get a clearer picture._

"We will, sir. I'll be sure to convey your message to Sephiroth when I see him." _Not to mention a few of my own._ "Was there anything else?"

Lazard retrieved his glasses and rested them on the aquiline bridge of his nose.

"No, Angeal. You're dismissed."

* * *

Lilith wasn't inclined to give any particulars beyond that, he could tell. Sephiroth didn't have time to explore the question today, although it would have to be addressed as her training progressed. Adequate sleep played a vital role in managing the more advanced Materia effectively. But rather than follow that topic to its conclusion, he returned to the original subject instead.

"You need to maintain a wider awareness of your battlefield."

Lilith's brows furrowed in genuine puzzlement. "Sir?"

"Never assume that you have identified all potential threats at the outset. You didn't even see me until I'd gotten close enough to strike. In a real battle, you would have been dead."

A harsh reality to impart, but reality none-the-less. The quicker the 2nd Class understood that, the better. Sephiroth watched Lilith absorb the lecture, noting that she didn't rush to provide a response. He didn't prompt her for one.

"Thank you, sir," she said at last. "I appreciate that you would offer tactics' advice and point out where I can improve." She shifted in place, readjusting her uniform. "I'll admit- I didn't pay attention because I didn't expect a threat outside of the program's parameters. As you pointed out, that was a mistake. I'll try not to make the same one in the future."

Sephiroth heard quite a bit in that answer. Some of it expected; some not. Given what he'd seen over the past month, accepting feedback- negative or positive- fell in line with Lilith's overall pattern of behavior. She wasn't the kind to get defensive if she was wrong. When she wasn't, well, that was a different story altogether.

On the other hand, he _had_ been surprised that she'd thanked him. Not the words so much, but that they had been genuine. Sephiroth didn't comment on that, however, focusing on her comment about not repeating mistakes.

"Very sensible. Practice is the time to learn from mistakes- where the consequences aren't as dire." From there, he segued into the next subject. "Which brings me to the reason I'm here. We did not have the chance to review yesterday's simulation. Unless you have an assigned watch to stand, now would be convenient."

"I don't think Hewley had put any of us on the duty rosters yet. Now is fine."

She expected him to begin. Sephiroth had other plans. The simulation room cameras were meant to record training sessions. The recordings were stored locally, where they could be called up by the Director or the most elite 1st Classes. Technically, they weren't being monitored by anyone outside of SOLDIER. _Technically._ Sephiroth didn't want to risk that Veld may have his eyes and ears tapped into the simulation system, too.

 _In that case…I ought to take care of a potential issue while I'm here._

Despite Lilith's quizzical glance, he did not share any of those thoughts aloud. Nor did he explain what he was about to do. She stood off to the side as he logged into the program controls, deleted the most recent session, and logged off. Still not having uttered a word, Sephiroth headed to the door; she took her cue from him and followed, equally silent.

Outside the training room, activity in the corridors was beginning to pick up. He took them on a path leading to the spare office. In the back of his mind, Sephiroth wondered how long he could count on that room to be beneath Shinra's notice. Eventually, it, too, would have a camera installed. As he passed by several 2nd and 3rd Classes scurrying along their business, Sephiroth contemplated how to solve for that problem.

 _It may be time to think of a location beyond this building altogether._

In the present, the spare office was still relatively private. Sephiroth pulled open the door and allowed Lilith to precede him into the room. Only when he'd shut it once more did he resume the conversation. Gesturing to the chair facing the desk, he opened with a question that sat high on the list of things he wanted to know.

"We'll begin with strategy. Particularly once you discovered your intended opponent. If you had been fighting a real opponent instead of a simulated one- would you have made the same choice?"

Lilith sat down, drawing her eyebrows together as she debated how to answer the question. Very slowly, she nodded.

"Yes, I would. Given the same circumstances and resources."

She sounded certain, but Sephiroth wondered if she was really thinking about what she'd done. When they'd spoken after the simulation, her acceptance about murdering a child may have stemmed from pure exhaustion. Confronted with it again, she would be more inclined to change her mind.

"You're certain you could live with taking the life of someone so young?"

"Children die," Lilith answered tonelessly. Not even the slightest hesitation. "If they're old enough to become killers, they're old enough to pay the consequences if they pick a target they can't defeat."

That was _not_ the answer Sephiroth had expected to hear. By a long shot. Lilith had delivered it with blatant conviction, leaving no doubt that she meant those words. Strong beliefs like that tended to be grounded in personal experience. Sephiroth had read her personnel file- once when she first joined SOLDIER and again since the battle against the Leviathan. Nothing in it would lead to the statement she just made.

 _It would appear you've left out a few key details concerning your background when you joined SOLDIER. Or,_ he amended silently, _provided a completely false history altogether._

As Sephiroth regarded the young woman for several minutes, he suspected the latter to be more likely. Which meant he had yet another puzzle to solve for if he wanted to defeat his enemies. Any missing pieces could affect the outcome one way or another. Perhaps a little. Perhaps a lot. Perhaps not at all. But no matter how insignificant her background turned out to be, Sephiroth couldn't dismiss it until he knew for certain what she might have hidden.

 _So…just who_ are _you, Lilith Morgan?_

* * *

 _I probably shouldn't have said that._

Most SOLDIERs would have expressed at least _some_ regret for causing a child's death. Even if that child had been the enemy. But I hadn't been thinking as a SOLDIER when I'd given Sephiroth my answer. The street-wise orphan from the slums- the one who'd led me to cast Flare in the first place- had answered before I could stop her. And now the commander was regarding me with that penetrating, cerulean stare.

As the silence lengthened to minutes, I was concerned he might pry into what prompted me to say those words. What did Shinra do with SOLDIERs who lied about their past? Really didn't want to find out. Not when I'd only just started making any headway in attaining the distinction of SOLDIER 1st Class. And then to my relief, Sephiroth let the subject drop as if I hadn't said anything unusual at all.

He circled the desk, putting it between us but not sitting down. As I waited for him to continue, I wondered for the hundredth time what the 1st Class _really_ wanted out of this debrief. So far, it didn't resemble anything like the ones I'd had with other 1st and 2nd Classes. Eventually, curiosity overwhelmed my patience.

"Sir- did you have any other observations about yesterday's simulation that you wished to discuss?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Sephiroth leaned backwards to brace against the bare wall and crossed his arms. I got the distinct impression that I might be sorry I asked. "You over-extended yourself unnecessarily by casting Flare. The enemy could have been neutralized with a lesser spell. Silence would have prevented her from using the Summons and would have cost you a fraction of the effort."

 _Should have known he'd start with the criticism,_ I lamented, though I couldn't deny that he was right. And he wasn't done with the lecture, either.

"You should never walk away from a battle too tired to fight another. Had your enemy planned an ambush, you would have been defeated- as would the rest of your team."

The rebuke stung. I wanted to drop my eyes to the ground. Or pass through it entirely, having nothing to say in my defense. At best, I could have tried arguing that I didn't know if Silence worked against a partially woken Summons; it would have been a lie. I'd known my options at the time, and I'd made my choice. The wrong one, according to Sephiroth. But despite the wisdom in his advice, I had a feeling I wouldn't have cast anything else if I could do it over.

That put me in an uncomfortable position. I know what he expected of me. I should own up to the mistake as I'd done a moment ago, and promise to be more sensible in the future. I couldn't do either of those things.

 _So how I to tell a 1_ _st_ _Class like Sephiroth that I don't agree with his advice?_

As it turned out, I didn't have to.

"That being said," he said in a less severe tone. "You performed well on the whole. Throughout the simulation, you maintained a clear head. Your strategy was effective and showed that you could adapt to critical changes in your situation. Overcompensate you did, but you took action quickly and decisively instead of allowing yourself to be paralyzed."

I didn't know how to respond to that; Sephiroth's next statement left me even more dumbfounded.

"At least the former is something I can work with in training. The latter is not."

 _Something_ he _can work with?_

"Sir?"

"Hewley and I are initiating a new program for 2nd Classes. For those with the necessary aptitude, we will be training them to use advanced Materia." He raised one silver eyebrow and gestured to me with his left hand. "Given the results of the assessment yesterday, I will expect you to take part in the program."

Phrased _that_ way, it didn't sound as though he was giving me a choice. I would never have turned down such an opportunity, but could appreciate what it meant when joining this endeavor was compulsory. I suspected that this new program was connected to the news that I'd brought back from Junon. The timing supported that theory, surely.

Likewise, I noted that he hadn't mentioned the Director in all this. Perhaps Lazard knew about the program, but it had been Sephiroth and Hewley's idea. I got the impression that the 1st Classes were allowed more autonomy of late. At least where those two were concerned. They were operating with Lazard's tacit approval- if even that- but not at his express direction.

 _Question is, who made that decision?_

I could think of reasons why Lazard might keep at arm's length of _this_ investigation in particular. Plausible deniability ranked high on that list. If it should it go badly, the Director could escape blame or punishment. On the other hand, I could see Sephiroth using the Leviathan investigation as a way to further advance his standing in SOLDIER. By keeping the details out of Lazard's hands until the enemy was defeated, the 1st Class could claim most of the accolades for himself.

 _And let's_ hope _the answer is one of those options. Because if it's not…_

"Lilith?"

I'd been thinking too long. Sephiroth was expecting a response; I gave him the only acceptable one.

It would be an honor, sir. I will do my best to prove myself worthy of the opportunity."

He nodded, satisfied.

"Once I have identified the 2nd Classes to participate, you will all be assigned a training schedule. Until then, the simulation rooms are off-limits." Sephiroth leveled a meaningful look at me. "Is that clear?"

 _Abundantly._ Equally clear was the understanding that arguing against his command would be futile. _So I guess I'll be taking a break. If I'm lucky, it'll be a short one._

"Yes, sir."

I sensed that our meeting was over. That guess proved correct as the 1st Class motioned to the door behind me.

"I have another appointment to keep, and so we shall end the discussion here. You are to refrain from mentioning the assessment or the training program- with other SOLDIERs or with anyone else. Not even your friends."

I rose, indicating I understood before turning to leave. He hadn't needed to warn me, really. Aside from the strained conversation I'd had last night with Kunsel, I hadn't intended to talk about yesterday's simulation with anyone. Zack in particular.

 _One lecture about my career decisions was more than enough._

Once outside the office, I wandered the hallway aimlessly as I wondered what to do with myself. Sephiroth had ordered me out of the simulation rooms, so practicing wasn't an option. At only ten in the morning, I still had a few hours before I'd go downstairs and meet with Danita. So what else could I do?

 _I guess I could search my locker again- see if I can find those books on Materia. It sure sounds like I'm going to need all the help I can get._

* * *

The crowded train sped along, but Kunsel paid little attention to it or the other passengers around him. He'd spent a long, sleepless night in his apartment. _Alone_. Thinking about the offer he'd made to Lilith; thinking about the one he _didn't_. When he'd gone to see her last night, Kunsel had been determined to ask her about what Zack had hinted to him. But they'd gotten side-tracked when he realized she was on the verge of another migraine, and the conversation veered along a different path.

The opportunity had come up there at the end, but Kunsel didn't take it. How could he when she'd all but told him that she cared only about becoming a 1st Class? How many more times did she have to say it before he took her at her word? And so he'd let the past go.

 _Did you, though? If you had, why did you offer to let her stay here when you're in Junon?_

That needling question had been largely responsible for why he'd been awake most of the night. Back to taunt him again, and so he answered in a vein that he hoped would silence it.

 _I said as much to Lilith- I just need someone to hold only the apartment for me by taking over the payments until I get back._

The voice fought back, not surprisingly.

 _Which could just as easily have been done by finding a sub-letter through a service. Dozens of those in the city, and there'd be no complications of a personal connection._

Kunsel didn't reply. He merely stared into the gloom of the railway tunnel, marking the passage of time as utility lights flashed by at regular intervals. Just another stop to go and he'd be at Headquarters. Hopefully to be kept busy enough not to dwell on any of this for the next eight to ten hours.

 _Face it- you offered in the hope she would accept and that it would give you a chance to start over after the Junon business is resolved._

Unwilling to admit the nagging voice in his head was right- and yet equally unable to refute it- Kunsel could only sigh with self-deprecation. To distract himself, he glanced at his phone. Eight-forty-five. A little later than he liked, but getting his place in order after being away had taken a decent chunk of time this morning. Still, Kunsel would be at Shinra well in advance of ten am, when Sephiroth wanted to see him.

Training room six. Just like Lilith. He supposed one good thing had come out of talking to her yesterday. Now he had a better idea what might be in store for him. Kunsel wasn't all that eager to try his hand at using the advanced Materia. At least not without time to be a little more prepared. Ideally, he would have reached out to a few of the other 1st Classes to get their advice and words of wisdom. It had been too late last night after leaving Lilith.

 _Might have time to catch a few this morning, though._

The automated announcement system called out the next station. Kunsel realized that he'd lost track, and that this was his stop. He grabbed his gear bag and hustled to the middle of the train car. Several other passengers moved aside to let him through, wary eyes never quite meeting his own. Kunsel ignored them all, exiting the car in the flow of traffic once the train came to a stop.

The walk from the station wasn't much more than a block, which put him arriving at Headquarters just before nine. The 49th floor had awakened to life, as usual, and so Kunsel set out to find the 1st Classes. He would have sought out Lewis first, having a good rapport with him. But when they'd last spoken, the man had said he and Beryl wouldn't be back for a few more weeks. It was a long shot, and wouldn't be his first choice for obvious reasons, but maybe Weiss was around.

He wasn't.

In fact, after making the rounds of the whole floor, Kunsel couldn't find a single 1st Class. When he'd asked a few junior SOLDIERs about it, they'd merely shrugged and admitted they hadn't seen any other than the occasional glimpse of Angeal, Sephiroth or Genesis over the past week. While they were annoyed about the extra work dumped onto 2nd and 3rd Classes as a result, neither of them were all that concerned. Kunsel, however, found their statements somewhat alarming. He was debating what to do next when he ran into Luxiere.

"Hey man," his friend greeted him with a nod. "Been looking for you and Zack all morning. Gotta talk about some stuff that happened yesterday."

Kunsel really didn't have time. Having spent the better part of an hour hunting for 1st Classes, it was now almost ten. His appointed time to meet Sephiroth was coming up fast. But as Luxiere appeared to be a little more…focused…than usual, he decided he could spare a few minutes to find out what the man wanted. After casting a quick look around, Kunsel picked a spot out of everyone's way. Luxiere joined him, gearing up to launch into what he suspected would be a long story.

"Look, I have a meeting in five minutes," he interjected quickly. "Just give me the highlights, and we can get into the details later."

Taken aback, his friend cocked his head slightly to the side and asked, "Meeting with who?"

"Sephiroth- long story."

"The Junon mission?"

"Focus, Lux."

"Yeah, yeah. Right. So, we might have a problem with Wendt. Well, more like _I_ might have gotten us embroiled in something that's been a problem for some time."

 _Well, isn't that typical? Lux sticking his foot out and landing square in a pile of trouble. Wonder what it is this time?_

He might have dismissed it entirely if not for the mention of Wendt. Kunsel had been hearing whispers about _him_ off and on for several months. Unfair tactics during warm-up matches. Skipping out on duty. Blaming his mistakes on other SOLDIERs. Nothing anyone could ever _prove_ , or he would have been reported to Angeal- or Lazard- long before this. But the rumors were too pervasive for there not to be _some_ truth in them.

 _Then there's the whole_ other _issue to consider._ And that's what Kunsel suspected his friend wanted to discuss. _Might as well hurry this along and ask outright._

"Let me guess- he's been bitching about female SOLDIERs again, hasn't he?"

Luxiere regarded him for a moment before shaking his head. "Should have known you would have already heard."

"He doesn't make a secret of his opinions. At least not when he thinks he's got a sympathetic audience."

"Yeah. Or a not so sympathetic one."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning he was spouting off his bullshit in the lounge yesterday in front of a group of 2nd and 3rd Classes. Didn't care one bit who heard him. Starting on Jekke first and then onto Lilith." The 2nd Class hesitated a moment or two, waiting for some response from Kunsel; he kept silent. His friend gave him a slightly puzzled look before continuing with a shrug. "I couldn't just sit there and let the twerp talk shit about them, so I blistered his ears with a few choice words of my own."

Now that was an unlikely picture. Luxiere's approach leaned more towards 'live and let live'. He didn't tend to butt into what other people did or said, even if he didn't necessarily agree with it. Kunsel would have made a comment to that effect, but his friend beat him to it with a wry smile.

"I know, I know. Surprised me, too. But I was the only one there to put Wendt in his place. So I did it."

"You tell Zack?"

"No. Not seen him yet. Wish he would have been there to do it himself," Luxiere replied ruefully. "He might get his chance. I'm sure Wendt will be spoiling for a rematch."

"I expect he will."

Acutely aware of the time, he glanced down the length of the hall. Luxiere caught his look and nodded.

"You have to go. There's a lot of other stuff I heard in the lounge- more about the Sector 7 explosion and what not. As you said, though, we can talk about it later. Just wanted to give you a head's up about Wendt- in case you run across him."

"Appreciate it. Break room later for lunch?"

"Yeah. See you then."

Kunsel waved and back-tracked down the hallway. If he hurried, he wouldn't be late to meet with Sephiroth.

* * *

Angeal turned on his heel and walked out. Lazard kept his eyes fixed on the man's retreating back until the doors closed behind him. Only then did they dare stray to the picture frame on the desk. A lump formed in the base of his throat as he stared at the cheeky grin of the boy in the bottom right corner. Unbidden, his mind conjured up memories that he'd been trying to suppress all morning.

[The Previous Evening]

 _The phone rings loudly, interrupting the quiet of the evening with its shrill urgency. He picks it up and puts the receiver to his ear._

 _"Deusericus residence."_

 _"You are not holding up your end of our bargain, Director," purrs a dangerously calm female voice on the other end of the line. Icy fingers clutch at his chest and squeeze, but he continues to listen as she goes on to say, "We received an unwelcome visit from agents of your organization this week."_

 _"It was a harmless public relations mission. Nothing that would-"_

 _She cuts him off mid-sentence._

 _"I see that we still can't trust one another, can we, Director?"_

 _The fingers squeeze harder, making it almost impossible to breathe. He manages to force out a reply, "Oh but you can. Absolutely."_

 _"See, I just don't believe you. And since this relationship must be built on_ something _, I'm afraid we must resort to a more direct approach."_

 _In the background, he hears muffled voices. Although they aren't clear enough for him to make out any of the words, he can hear the viciousness of their tone. His mind races furiously to imagine what his anonymous tormentor could mean by 'direct approach'. One very horrifying thought comes to mind, prompting him to dissuade her at all costs._

 _"No- I assure you that won't be necessary."_

 _"When you failed to keep the commander and his pets in line, you_ made _it necessary." The voices draw nearer and became more distinct. "I think it's time for a brief reunion, Director."_

 _After a momentary pause, he hears a tremulous, "P-papa?"_

 _"Xander?" he cries frantically, even though he knows the woman is still listening. He can't help himself. "Are you all right?"_

 _"I'm s-scared. I wanna c-come_ home _."_

 _"I know, son," he promised. "I'm doing all I can to get you back. We just have to be brave until then, okay?"_

 _No reply._

 _"Xander!?"_

 _"Very touching, Director. Now, you wouldn't want to break such a fervent promise, would you?"_

 _"No," he replies in a broken whisper._

 _"And since you're well acquainted with what we expect from you, I'm sure we can reach a_ reasonable _agreement." Relief fills him, thinking that she is convinced that he will be compliant without the need of further action. And then she adds, "But to prove to you that we are serious…"_

 _The woman's voice trails away, as if she's moved away from the phone. Somewhere on that end of the line, the sound of a child's distressed wail pierces the silence. It crashes into him with the impact of a physical blow, and he doubles over the small end table. His free hand curls into a fist and pounds the wooden surface hard enough to leave an indentation. Words leave his mouth before he can stop them._

 _"I'll do whatever it takes, but_ please _spare my son!"_

 _The wails continue with no response from the woman._

 _"Stop hurting him. Please- please stop," he repeatedly begs into the receiver._

 _Silence falls._

 _"Do we understand each other, Director?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"So glad to hear it. Don't make me call you again."_

 _The line goes dead._

[Return to Present]

As the horrific ordeal receded, Lazard drew in a shuddering breath. He brushed the glass protecting the photo with his fingertips, lingering over Xander. Tears stung at the corners of his eyes, but he blinked them away. He had a promise to keep. Gathering the scattered pages of a security briefing from Veld, he tried to hold out hope. Hope that he could trust Angeal was right about the progress they'd made in Junon.

"Angeal is honest to a fault," he said aloud, needing to hear the words of reassurance. "He wouldn't lie if he didn't think it hadn't been worth the risk."

Burying his doubts as deeply as he could, Lazard got back to work.


End file.
